Psycho on the Going Merry
by SkieLoon
Summary: A tale of a girl, an ordinary girl from this world you and I inhabit, whom is struck into a coma by a speeding red pick up and right into the world of One Piece! Mayhem insues as she befriends the crew and irritates Zoro. Oh, it gets stranger, believe me.
1. Car Accident story summary

**Chapter 1**

Hey! For everyone who feels like they want to read this story, hold on a minute. Let me just…explain something really quick.

I wrote this back when I was in middle school. Now, older authors know what that's like, growing up and looking back at your old work. Pretty painful eh? It's hard to do. Now, eventually, I may go back and completely redo the beginning chapters, but at the moment I'm far too lazy and busy and you know. Real life stuff buzzing around everywhere.

So. If you read this first chapter and go "Oh wow this is total shit", I completely agree with you. If you like it, that's cool too I guess. But, however, for those of you who expected more and got a middle school grade chunk, I'll do somethin' for yah.

Just jump to **Chapter 35** and start reading. I'll summarize everything important in the paragraph below, so you can skip out on most of the horrible…weird…random…ness. I will spare those of you who are more serious and stuff, who don't lie middle school silliness to this extent. (though I warn you, although not as intense in later chapters, this is a silly story. A VERY SILLY STORY. However…later on there is also romance hahahahahaha –chokes-

_**SUMMARY OF PRETTY MUCH THE FIRST HALF OF THE STORY: **_

Okay, so basically, this brown haired kid named Skie and her pal Cheyenne were walking down the street when BAM. Skie's hit by a pickup. There are later chapters that explain more of that crap, but basically, her body stays behind in our world, and since she's an obsessed fangirl, her mind somehow is dumped into the One Piece world, right onto the Going Merry (I'd love to say stranger things have happened in fanfictions, and pft, you know I'm right). Anyway, the crew decides that they'd feel like jerks if they just dumped the weirdo somewhere, so decide to let her stay until they figure out something to do with her. Stuff happens, she becomes their friends, especially with Luffy and Usopp, since the two are weird, fun loving, and adventurous, while Sanji treats her like a sibling, Nami is just glad there's another girl around, and Zoro is just…Zoro. Skie and Zoro have this thing, however. Not anything romantic, just…let's describe it as one of those love hate things, minus the love. Skie adores annoying him—at one point she stole his pillow because she's a pest—and I can guarantee that in almost every single chapter, she does something to bother, pester, annoying, enrage, etc. the famed swordsman. Anyway, at one point they land on this island and Skie finds a weird fruit (omg guess what it is) and takes a bite. It happened to be a devil fruit that allowed her to hop around like a human pogo stick (when I first wrote this I had yet to know who Bellamy was, so think Bellamy without the creepy springs on his legs). This causes more adventures to happen, and at a weirder, more Zoro-annoying scale. And let me just tell you this know, but a lot of my real friends made cameos in this story. Since all of them read it, haha. Basically, what this means is, when those friends fell asleep, their minds drifted to the One Piece world, much like Skie's did, only much less permanent. They only hung around for a few hours before they woke up in the real world and their minds left the One Piece one. Again, later chapters go into that more.

Basically, that's everything important you need to know. The whole story didn't really get a plot until much later. Basically it was just a goofy for-fun story that eventually evolved into something with dramatic potential, romantic potential, and all that fun stuff. But seriously, if you skip ahead to chapter 35 (unless you've got a taste for the weird, zany, random and ridiculous), you'll end up on a very short filler chapter, on a beach with the crew. Right around this area is where the plot starts to actually happen.

So, I hope you do read this. Whether or not you read all of it is totally up to you of course, and I hope you enjoy it.

And if you read below, please remember that this chapter is unedited, and I wrote this when I was in middle school. MIDDLE SCHOOL. DON'T BE HATIN' ON THE SPELLING.

–_lol runs away_-

* * *

Skie, as she called herself because she didn't like her real name, marched down the sidewalk with one of her many bestest pals Chey (pronounced Shy). They were both complete weirdos, and they called themselves that too. They just loved to be strange, and they loved each other's sense of humor.

Skie was wearing a pair of long jeans with silver studs along the beltline, a simple plain gray sweatshirt, and a pair of black Airwalk shoes.

Chey was wearing a pair of black pants with plenty of belts hanging from the sides, and a black sweatshirt with flames on the front.

"I want candy." Skie suddenly piped up, "Do you want candy?"

"Of course I want candy," Chey shrugged, "Who doesn't?"

Skie turned around on her heels and started walking left, towards Buck's Party Store. "You have any money?" Skie asked.

"Nope."

"Dang, I don't have any money either."

"Didn't you get like, 200 dollars for your birthday last year?"

"Yup. Put it in the bank to save up for a bird…but…"

"You spent it?"

"Yeah…" Skie grinned, "All on Bucks. That was an awesome summer." She almost started drooling at the memory of the mountain of candy/various sugar products she had purchased with that birthday money.

"Oh well, you wanna go stare at the candy?"

"Sure, sounds fun."

They stopped at the edge of the road, looking both ways. It was a small town they lived in, so there wasn't really a lot of traffic. The coast was clear, and they both started crossing the street.

Then, some drunk idiot who was going around 40 mph on a 15 mph road screeched around the corner, speeding right for them.

Chey had already run across the street, to prove that she could cross the street better than Skie could, and saw the car speeding for her. "SKIE! LOOK OUT!" she yelled.

The last thing Skie saw before everything went black, was the front of a red pick-up truck.

Luffy was wandering around the storerooms, looking for any meat he could find, because lunch was over and Sanji wouldn't make anything else until dinner. He heard a moan from behind a couple of crates and he peeked over. "Hey, wow!" he said, looking down.

There was a girl there; she looked only to be about 14 years old. She was unconscious, lying on the floor. "HEY, GUYS! COME HERE! I FOUND SOMEONE!" he yelled.

Skie felt something poke her shoulder. She groaned, her head pounding, her eyes snapped opened as she remembered the last thing she saw before being hit by a car. "TRUCK!" she yelled, jumping to her feet.

"AAH! She's alive!" said a voice. Skie looked at the boy sitting down, who was looking up at her with curiosity. _He looks familiar… _She thought. He had a straw hat on, red tank top, blue shorts, black hair, scar under his eye…

Wait a minute!

_That's Luffy!_ Her mind screamed.

Being an obsessed One Piece fan, she couldn't believe she was looking at one of her favorite Manga characters ever.

"Are you alright?" another voice caught her attention; she looked to her other side to see four other people standing there. "Uh…yeah…I'm fine." She said to the orange-haired girl that was Nami.

There was Usopp, Nami, Zoro, Luffy, and Sanji. Right in front of her! She couldn't move, being frozen in a fangirl-like state. Sanji was even cuter than she thought he was. Same with Zoro. She was surprised he wasn't taking a nap right now, like he usually would be.

"How the heck did a stowaway get onto the ship? You let her on here didn't you stupid Love Cook." Zoro growled at Sanji.

"Shut up. I had no idea she was on here."

"Both of you shut up!" growled Nami.

"Sorry Nami-san!" said Sanji.

Skie, held back a large fit of laughter. 'Nami-san'. That was so funny.

"Alright, how'd you get on the ship?" questioned Usopp. "And no lies, because I am the Great Captain Usopp! Leader of eighty million pirates!"

"Liar." Skie grinned.

"WHA!" Usopp gaped at her and fell over.

"Shut up Usopp. Okay, tell us how you got on. If you're a marine, I sure hope you can swim." Said Nami.

"Ummm…I'm not a marine, and actually, I have no idea." Skie crossed her arms, thinking. "I wasn't anywhere near the ocean last time I remember bein' awake. Heck, I wasn't even in the same world!" she said, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Say what?" said Luffy. "Another world? Oooooh! Was there meat there?"

"Shut up Luffy." Said Zoro, "What do you mean 'same world'?"

"Look at me! Do I honestly look like I'm from anywhere around here?"

"Um…no." said Nami. Well, yeah, kind of. The outfit was a bit weird, but other than that she looked normal. "Excuse us for a second will you?" she walked out the door, motioning for the others to follow, and they left her alone in the storeroom.

"Heh…I must be dreaming. Yeah. I'm dreaming, definitely. How else would I be here? But if it's a dream, it's gonna be a fun one." She said to herself, grinning.

She was pretty much shaking with excitement. Outside that door were her favorite Manga characters in the world.

Ho-boy.

The Straw Hat crew's discussion about what to do with the new girl was interrupted by triumphant laughter from the storeroom.

"The heck?" said Zoro. They all peeked inside the door to see Skie doing some sort of freakish victory dance. She went from the moonwalk, to the robot, to break dancing. She also started doing the Bus Driver (something she saw from a show called Scrubs).

"Yeah. Definitely not from this world. Or she's just a spazz." said Nami. "I think we should let her stay. I mean, where else is she going to go?" She looked back at her crewmates. "What do you guys think?"

"Great idea Nami-Swan!" said Sanji, his eye(s) turning into hearts.

"Whatever." said Zoro.

"NEW CREWMATE!" yelled Luffy and Usopp happily.

"Remember, she's just a kid, so don't expect her to be good at fighting or anything." Nami said.

"Oh great. So she's worthless?" grumbled Zoro.

"Hey! I ain't worthless!" said Skie, startling everyone by suddenly appearing in the doorway.

"Hi new shipmate!" said Luffy happily.

"Wha? Shipmate? You mean I can stay on the Goin- the ship?" she asked, not wanting to let them know she knew their ships name. Lest they'd think she was a marine spy, or something like that.

"Yup!" Said Usopp.

"YAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOO!" she yelled, jumping in the air. Everyone but Luffy backed up a bit.

"What's you're name?" asked Sanji.

"Skie." she said, still grinning.

"What kind of name is Skie?"

"My name." she stuck her tongue out at Usopp. "What are your names?" she asked, ignoring the fact she already knew their names all too well.

"The Great Captain Usopp!"

"Luffy!"

"I'm Nami."

"I'm Sanji!"

"…Zoro." He turned around and headed for the back of the ship, probably to go take a nap. "No loud noises!" he yelled.

"Cool! So what's your ships name?"

"The Going Merry!" said Luffy. "Haay! Do you like meat?"

"Love it!" said Skie. She didn't care how crazy she acted, this was a dream, and she planned to have as much fun as she could. Dreams didn't last too long you know. Might as well stretch this one out.

"SANJI!" Luffy whined, "We want meat!"

Sanji glared at Luffy for a second, "Sanji, can we _please_ have some food?" asked Skie, sticking out her lower lip a bit.

Sanji, being the gentleman that he was, sighed and headed for the kitchen, "Yeah, sure." He said, giving in.

"YAY! FOOD!" cheered Usopp and Luffy, who hooked arms with Skie and marched into the kitchen.

Oh yeah, this was going to be the best dream ever.

* * *

If you choose to keep reading, it gets weirder, and weirder, and Skie annoys the heck outta Zoro ALL THE TIME.

**ROOTBEER** AND **ROCK**! Which means, Read and Review!


	2. FOOD

**Chapter 2**

/_edited also_/

* * *

During the after-lunch snackage of meat that was going on in the kitchen, everyone but Zoro, who was taking a nap in the crow's nest, kept asking random questions about Skie and the world she came from.

"Was there meat in your world?"

"Oh yeah, tons."

"Are there any oceans?"

"Seven."

"Wow."

"Any pretty girls?"

"Not really the right person to ask."

"What's your favorite color?"

"Blue."

"Are there pirates in your world?"

"Yep. But they're not very famous anymore. The age of pirates was a looong time ago."

"Well that sucks."

"How many pretty girls?"

"Ummmm…"

"Shut up Sanji."

"Of course Nami-Swan!"

"No pirates eh?" Luffy sat back in his chair, tearing a chunk of meat off a piece of bone. "So what do you guys do for fun there?"

"Um…well, there's a lot. We have video games, movies, TV, books, stick fighting, ice cream, candy…the list goes on. But I doubt you'll know what most of those are." Skie grinned at her new shipmate's confused faces.

"What are video games?" asked Usopp.

"Uh, there sort of like…uh…" Skie tried to think of a way to explain the awesome technological genius of video games. "They're sort of like a mini portable game, that you can play by yourself…yeah."

"Movies?" asked Luffy.

"Sort of like a storybook without a cover, and the people move. It's like a play, but the people aren't really there."

"Stick fighting sounds pretty interesting." Said Nami, slapping Luffy's hand away after he tried to steal some of her food. "Is it just fighting with a stick?"

"Oh it is, and yeah pretty much. It's my favorite sport evah. That's all me and my pals used to play back at home. But my parents banned it because they thought it was too violent." She stabbed a fork through her food, annoyed just thinking about it.

"Why would you want to fight against your friends though? I mean, it was too violent, then why would you do it on purpose?"

"'Cuz me and my friends are weird like that. And, the team my team fights against aren't really my friends…they used to be though." She grinned, "And they call themselves pirates. They aren't pirates. Pirates rock, and they don't." she said matter-of-factly.

"We take that as a compliment." Said Sanji, "After all we are pirates."

She already knew that of course, but she tried to act surprised. "Wow, really? Cool." She went to take another bite of her food, but raised an eyebrow to see that half of it was missing. She raised her eyes to Luffy, who was trying to look innocent. "Yeah…that was mine." She quickly leaned over the table, stabbed her fork into the biggest leftover chunk of meat on his plate (which wasn't very big) and put it in her mouth before he could get it back.

"Gnyaa!" Luffy whined, "My meeeeeeeeat."

"You took mine first."

Usopp laughed, Skie joining in.

She stopped, something clicking in her mind. "Hey wait…you're pirates…and I'm one of the crew now…" a wide grin slowly spread across her face. "That means I'm a pirate too!" she jumped out of her seat, whooping and cheering. A bit slow, wasn't she?

She calmed down, "This is sooooo cool! I'm a pirate!" she said happily.

"Yeah, but being a pirate isn't easy, you're gonna have to learn how to defend yourself a little bit at least." said Nami.

"Nami-San's right. We're always getting ourselves into all kinds of fights, can you do anything?"

"I can hit people over the head with a stick pretty well." Skie said proudly.

"Yeah, you might be a good distraction." Usopp rolled his eyes a bit.

Skie stuck her tongue out at him, who stuck his tongue out back.

"Hey Skie?" Nami said.

"Yep?"

"I'm pretty good with a staff-" she was cut off by Sanji.

"Nami-swan, you are not just good, you are perfect! A goddess!"

Skie snickered, slapping a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing as hard as she wanted to. No need to laugh like a hyena, like she usually did when something was super funny, and weird them out even more.

"Anyways, Skie, maybe I could teach you a little more about using a staff, then you could defend yourself if we get attacked anytime soon." She said, smiling.

"That would be awesome!" Skie said happily. She glared at Luffy, "DON'T TOUCH MY FOOD!" she roared, pointing at Luffy, who had been slowly reaching across the table.

"Awww, but mine's all gooone." He whined, slumping back in his chair.

"I would have given you some if you just asked." said Skie, taking her plate off the table to eat it standing up.

"Can I pleeease have some of your food?"

"No." she said, her mouth full.

"Luffy! Never ask a lady something like that!" growled Sanji.

Luffy just huffed and put his head on the table.

--

After they were all done eating, everyone but Sanji, who was doing the dishes, walked out on the deck.

"So, how do you guys fight?" she asked. She wanted to see Luffy's stretchy power for real. She also wanted to see Sanji and Zoro fight, but that could wait.

"I can stretch." Said Luffy.

"What do you mean?" she tried to sound confused.

"Show her the pistol!" said Usopp.

"On what?"

Skie looked around, seeing Zoro leaning over the edge of crow's nest, fast asleep. "Try knocking him back into the crows nest." She said, pointing up at the unsuspecting Zoro.

"He's gonna get mad." Said Luffy, hesitating.

"Don't hit him full on, just brush him close enough so that he flies forward!" said Usopp, grinning and looking up at the swordsman.

"Okay!" Luffy wound up his arm, "Gomu Gomu no PISTOL!" he yelled, and his rubber arm shot forward. It hit Zoro just right, catching him in the shoulder, and he flew back with a crash to the bottom of the crow's nest.

"OW! WHAT THE HELL!" came his voice, "Whoever did that is going to DIE!" he roared.

"Hey Nami, when do you think we can start those staff lessons?" asked Skie, backing up away from the nest while laughing.

"How about right now?" she said, hustling off to her room, a wide grin on her face.

"Good idea!" Skie followed her, leaving Usopp and Luffy to fend for themselves with the infuriated Zoro.

* * *

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK!**


	3. Competition at the Table

**Chapter 3**

/_edited also_/

* * *

They hurried into her room, Nami closing the door behind her. She took out one of the portable little staffs she kept strapped to her leg and tossed it to Skie. "Hold on, just a second." Nami said, looking at the door and listening.

"It wasn't me! Luffy did it!" they could hear people running around deck.

"GET BACK HERE!"

"Get away! Gomu Gomu no rocket!" they heard that stretchy sound as his arm snapped back into place. He probably launched himself up into the crow's nest. "Luffy! You coward! Get down here!"

Skie and Nami both started laughing so hard, it must have caught Zoro's attention, because a minute later, the door slammed open. "What are you laughing at!?" growled Zoro. Skie looked behind him and saw he had dragged Luffy to the door by his shirt collar. She snorted, trying not to laugh anymore.

"Outta my room Zoro! And take Rubber Man with you." said Nami, trying to conceal her grin with a look of utmost seriousness.

"Just shut up, and you," he glared at Skie, "I know you had something to do with it." Skie just looked surprised, "Me? Never! How could you accuse me of such a thing?"

Luffy laughed.

"Hmph," Zoro grunted and stomped away, leaving the door open. "Noooo!" cried Luffy as he was dragged away.

"You're living on one interesting ship Nami." said Skie, grinning.

"Yes I do. Now, on with the lesson!"

--

Skie was a lot better at using a staff than Nami expected. _She'll be easy to teach,_ she thought.

Skie was pretty good at offensive moves, she just needed to work on the defensive. Apparently she'd been used to just swinging really hard and making her opponents stay away from her.

Nami had started off with a pretty easy exercise, she would pretend to attack Skie from a different angle, and Skie would then block where Nami was pretending to attack. After about two hours, they both decided to stop, since they were both pretty dang worn out.

"That was fun." Skie held out the staff she had used to Nami.

"You keep it. I've got a couple more anyways." She smiled, then collapsed the staff back into itself and put it back on her leg.

"Em…" Nami looked up to see Skie trying to collapse her new staff into its portable size. "Jeez! Just shrink already!" Skie started poking the floor with it.

"No, you have to push on both ends." said Nami.

"Ah…okay, hold on." Skie did as she was told, and the staff folded itself. "Cool!"

"Well aren't you easily amused?"

"Very. You'd be surprised."

"Hey, idiot, dinner's ready." Sanji's voice could be heard from on deck.

"Why don't you say that to my face, ya Dartboard-Brow!" Zoro yelled.

Sanji must have ignored Zoro, because a second later, he knocked on Nami's door and peeked his head inside. "Nami-Swan! Skie! Dinner's ready." He grinned happily. He then disappeared again.

"Time to eat. You hungry?" Nami looked at Skie, who was still panting a little from their practicing.

"Yeah, starved."

"Then let's go get something to eat before Luffy eats it all." Nami said as they stepped out the door.

"Oh, you won't have to worry about that." Zoro said stopping to look at them as he headed for the kitchen.

"And why is that?" asked Nami, raising an eyebrow.

Zoro just grinned and pointed over his shoulder as he stepped though the door.

Nami and Skie looked in the direction Zoro pointed at, and started laughing when they saw Luffy and Usopp tied to the crow's nest post, Luffy's arms serving as the rope.

"Gnyaaa! I want fooood!" cried Luffy.

"You go eat, I'll untie 'em." said Skie, smiling at Nami.

"Suit yourself." she said, and went into the kitchen.

Skie jogged over and sat in front of the bawling Luffy. Usopp just looked annoyed that he was tied to the post too.

"Hiya." She poked Luffy in the forehead. "Stop crying and I'll untie you. On ONE condition,"

"Yeah? What's that?"

"No taking my food."

"Deal! Now just untie me so I can get some meat!" said Luffy, who was all fidgety.

"Don't forget about me!" said Usopp.

"To untie Luffy, I'd have to untie you too." said Skie. She suddenly had a funny thought, and eeevil thought. Skie had a fuuny, eeevil thought.

"Omigawd! Luffy! Guess what!"

"What?"

"It's so horrible!"

"What? What is it?" Luffy asked curiously.

"SANJI MADE SALAD!"

--

Skie burst into the kitchen, laughing so hard she almost fell over. "Whoa-ho!" she moved out of the way of the door, just as Luffy practically exploded into the kitchen.

"MEEEEEEEEEAT!" he roared.

Luffy crashed into the floor on his face with a screech, where he lay like that for a couple seconds.

Skie was by the door rolling on the ground laughing.

"What the heck?" said Zoro, looking from Skie to Luffy.

"SANJI!" said Luffy, appearing suddenly by Sanji, who was working on something on the counter.

"What? Gaah!" he backed up, surprised by the crazy look in his captain's eyes.

"SALAD! You made SALAD?" roared Luffy, shaking Sanji by the collar.

Everyone but Sanji and Luffy looked at Skie, who had not stopped laughing yet.

Usopp walked in, saw what was going on, and started laughing, almost as hard as Skie was, and Nami joined in. Zoro just grinned and started chugging down a bottle of grog.

"What are you talking about Luffy? I didn't make any salad!" said Sanji, shoving him away.

"You didn't?" Luffy sighed with relief. "Oh good." He turned his head and looked at the still-laughing Skie. "That wasn't very nice."

"No, but it was funny!" she gasped, standing up and using the wall for support.

"She's right! It was funny!" said Usopp.

"Hmph. Just gimme my meat." Luffy slumped down in his seat.

Skie calmed down a bit and sat next to Luffy, who poked her in the shoulder. Skie poked him back.

Poke.

Poke.

Poke.

Poke poke.

Poke poke.

Poke poke poke.

Poke poke poke.

It seems Luffy and Skie had started an all-out poking war. Their arms moving so fast they looked like blurs.

"Alright you two, calm down." Sanji put a plate in front of everyone.

"Meat!" said Luffy, stopping the war and digging in.

"I won."

"Did not."

"Oh yes I did."

Luffy just put more food in his mouth and glared at Skie.

Skie glared back at Luffy, and started eating just as fast as he did. "I'm gonna finish before you do!" she said after she swallowed.

"Not a chance!" said Luffy. And another war broke loose, causing food to fly everywhere as the two competitors shoveled the food into their mouths.

The crew just watched them, Usopp was laughing, Sanji looked annoyed, Nami was grinning and Zoro was chugging a second bottle of grog.

"HA!" yelled Luffy triumphantly, holding up his empty plate. "I WIN!"

"Well of course you won, you're made of rubber!"

"You're just jealous."

"'Cuz you're made of rubber? No way!"

"Yu-huh!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Yaaa-huuuh!"

Skie stuck her tongue out at Luffy, then looked at her plate. There was still some sauce left on it, and quick as a flash she licked it up. "HA! I'm the first one done!" she held her squeaky-clean plate in front of Luffy's face.

Luffy looked at his own plate, and saw there was still a tiny bit of sauce on his. "Awwww…no fair! You cheated!"

"Yeah right rubber boy." She stood up and put her plate in the sink. "I won."

"Hmph." Luffy crossed his arms and pouted.

Skie yawned and stretched, "I'm tired," she said, opening the door to the kitchen and looking out at the suddenly darkened sky.

Zoro stood up, "Yeah, guess it is time to turn in." he took his plate to the sink, everyone else standing up to do the same.

"Skie, you can sleep in my room, but I don't know where you'll be able to." said Nami, thinking.

"That's okay, I'll sleep on the floor." said Skie, suppressing a grin as a new eeevil plan formed in her head.

"What? You sure?" Nami looked surprised.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm fine with it." Skie walked out of the kitchen and into Nami's room, leaving the rest of her new crew alone.

"My, she is strange isn't she?" said Usopp, scratching the back of his head.

"And annoying." shined Luffy.

"You're just saying that because she beat you at an eating contest." Sanji pointed out.

"I still can't believe that. Ah well, whatever." Zoro stepped out of the kitchen and went into the men's quarters.

"G'night everyone." Said Nami, going to her own room.

"Good night Nami-swan!"

And the crew turned in for the night, hoping to get a long, peaceful sleep, without interruption.

But will they?

* * *

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK!**


	4. No Pillow for You

**Chapter 4**

/_edited also_/

* * *

It was nighttime on the Going Merry. And everyone was fast asleep.

Except for one person.

Skie had waited for about an hour, just to be sure everyone was asleep. She sat up off the hard floor and cracked her neck from side to side. Standing up, she glanced at Nami, getting one final look to make sure she was asleep.

Grinning evilly to herself, she snuck out of Nami's room, and entered the boy's.

She didn't have to attempt to be quiet, because the combined snoring from all of them was loud enough to cover up the sound of an elephant.

Moving as smoothly as she could she went over to Luffy, who was snoring loudest of all. She grinned and reached up, grabbing the end of his pillow and pulled it away from him. "Gnyaaa…meeeat…come back." He groaned, turning on his side. Skie closed her eyes tightly, waiting for someone to wake up. Luckily for her, no one did.

She sighed and put the pillow outside, then went back in and went to Usopp. She slipped the pillow away from him, only getting a weird gurgling sound from him. She tossed the pillow out the door.

Sanji's turn.

He was hugging the pillow loosely to his chest, like it was a teddy bear. _Ho boy, this is gonna be tough, _she thought. Biting her lip slightly, she slowly started tugging at it, not hard, but just so it slid out of his grasp. "Nami-swan…" he sighed, "You're soooo beautiful…my goddess…" He rolled over, a wide grin on his face.

Skie snorted, her shoulders shaking from the effort not to laugh.

Sanji's pillow was added to Usopp and Luffy's.

Now it was Zoro's turn. Dun dun _duuuun_.

She watched him for a second, making sure he wasn't awake. She waved his hand over his face a couple times. No response. She smiled and took his pillow slowly out from under his head. Being very, very, very careful because she knew how good his senses and reflexes were.

"Skie…what're you doing?" Zoro sat up slowly, a confused expression on his face.

Skie froze, squeezing the pillow tightly and waiting for him to explode and yell at her for being in here, and probably yell at her for taking everyone's pillow, then question her with a very loud voice about why she took everyone's pillow.

She waited for the Zoro dynamite to go off.

"Skie, you can't beat Luffy at an eating contest." Zoro wasn't even looking at her.

Skie scooted to the side so she could see his face, and was surprised to see his eyes closed. He was sleep talking.

"Not right…" he fell back, and resumed snoring.

Letting out what she thought was the biggest sigh of relief in her life, she snuck out of the men's quarters, gathered up the other four pillows, and closed their door.

"Holy shwat that was close." she whispered, grinning.

Why was she stealing their pillows? Why you ask?

To be annoying of course! It was her forte! Her expertise!

She looked around, her finally eyes resting on the crow' nest. _Okay_, she thought, and slowly climbed up, bringing one pillow up at a time.

After about ten minutes, she finally got everything up there. Grinning to herself, she made herself a comfy little bed, and looked up at the stars. She wasn't going to go to sleep tonight. No way, she wanted to be up in time to, one: hear them get up, two: hear them wonder where their pillows were gone, although she didn't expect very big reactions, and three: …she needed to do something else. Just taking every guy's pillow wasn't enough.

Oh no, not nearly enough.

_Hmmmm…what to do, what to do…_ she thought.

An idea hit her. An idea fresh from Pokemon.

--

Settling back down in the crow's nest, feeling satisfied, she resumed looking up at the stars, and waited for morning to come.

But she couldn't stay awake. Meeting your favorite manga characters and getting hit by a truck can be tiring.

So she fell asleep.

--

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

"You're as noisy as hell when you wake up you stupid swordsman, what're you…" Sanji's laughter burst out of the men's quarters, waking everyone else.

"SHUT UP! WHO WROTE ON MY FACE! …AND WHO TOOK MY PILLOW!"

"Wha? My pillow's gone too!"

"Nyaaa! Mine is too! SANI! I want breakfast."

"Shut up Luffy."

"Hey Sanji, you have marker all over your face."

"What?"

"You do."

"Well so do you."

"?"

"You do to"

"And you."

"DAMMIT! WHERE'S MY PILLOW!" yelled Zoro.

"Hey, my pillow's gone too." Usopp looked around, "Who did it?"

"Who do you think?" Zoro growled, standing up.

He burst through the door, the others trailing behind him. "SKIIIIIIIE!" he roared.

Shockingly, that didn't wake her. She was like a rock when she slept.

"What are you idiots yelling about?" Nami opened her door, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "Have you guys seen Skie? …What happened to you?"

"Good morning Nami-Swan!" said Sanji, "My, aren't you looking lovely this morning! Not that there is ever a morning when you don't!"

Nami's eyes traveled up to his forehead and she started giggling.

"Shaddup! SKIE! WHERE ARE YOU?!" yelled Zoro, who started searching the ship.

"We'll help you look for her. Right?" Nami looked at her crewmates.

"Of course we will Nami-san!"

Luffy and Usopp were busy laughing at each other's faces.

"Oi! Idiots!" Sanji rammed Luffy and Usopp's skulls together. "Go look for Skie!"

"Okay, okay! When's breakfast?"

"You get breakfast after we find Skie." said Sanji.

They searched the entire ship, before it clicked in Zoro's brain to look up at the crow's nest. "I know you're up there!" he said, climbing the ladder.

"Is she up there?" called Sanji.

"Yeah…HEY!" he roared, "She's drooling all over my pillow, dammit!"

And in deed she was. She was using Zoro's pillow as a headrest, and there was a big puddle of drool right in the center of it.

Skie opened her eyes slowly, and sat up even slower. She was still half asleep, so nothing around her was reaching her mind. She yawned, and looked up, and the first thing she saw was the furious (But cute) face of Zoro, which would be pretty scary to see first thing in the morning.

"AUGH!" she yelled, the fact that it was Zoro looking at her and not the random weird guy she thought he was still hadn't clicked into her brain. Quicker than she would ever have thought possible, she took out her new staff, opened it up in a flash, and slammed it squarely on Zoro's forehead.

"GAH!" he flew backwards off the rim of the crow's nest, hitting the deck with a 'thud'. "Owwww. WHAT THE HECK'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" he yelled, putting his hand on his forehead.

"She clobbered you." Sanji grinned.

Everyone looked up at the crow's nest, seeing Skie's head appear over the edge. "Good morning." she said cheerfully.

"Hey, lemme have my pillow back!" called Luffy.

She didn't respond, she was grinned down at them, looking at each of their markered up faces in turn.

Zoro had 'Moss-Head' written all over his face.

Sanji had 'I luv de wimmenz'.

Luffy just had a bunch of swirlies around his eyes, and Usopp had a target drawn at the end of his nose, along with a bunch of spots all over his face.

Nami was the only one without any marker on her face.

"You guys look funny." she said, grinning.

"Hey, can we have our pillows back now?" asked Sanji.

Skie stuck out her tongue.

"Pleeeease?" asked Usopp.

She stuck out her tongue again.

"If you're not gonna give 'em to us, then I'll come up there and take 'em!" said Luffy, winding his arm up. "Gomu Gomu noooo…"

"LUFY! LOOK! MEAT!" said Skie, pointing behind him.

"AH! Where!" he asked, frantically looking around.

"It just ran into the kitchen!"

"MEEEAT!"

"OI! GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN LUFFY!"

"Give me my pillow Skie!" yelled Zoro.

"Nyah nyah." She stuck out her tongue again, causing Zoro to flush with anger.

"Skie, give them their pillows. Since Zoro's being such a baby about it." said Nami, grinning.

"Ookay." Skie sighed, and tossed down all four.

"THANK YOU! And I'm not a baby!" said Zoro angrily, taking his drool-stained pillow. "And why'd you only listen to her!?"

"Cuz girls are better than boys. Duh." She said matter-of-factly.

Zoro's mouth hung open, but he didn't reply. He just stormed into his room, grumbling angrily to himself.

"BREAKFAST'S READY!" Sanji's voice came from the kitchen.

"Yay!" Skie climbed down the ladder and went into the kitchen with Nami.

* * *

ROOTBEER AND ROCK! 


	5. The Idiot Pirates

**Chapter 5**

/_edited also_/

* * *

Luffy was already in the kitchen of course, sitting at the table and looking hungry as always.

Skie took her spot next to him, and Nami sat across from her. Usopp came in a second later, followed by a still-grumpy Zoro.

Sanji put a large ham in the middle of the table, and a bowl of fruit.

Grinning cheerfully, Skie took an apple, and a huge slice of meat and put them on her plate. The food was gone in about two minutes.

"You almost eat as fast as Luffy." said Usopp, pointing at Skie.

"It's rude to point." She said with her mouth full of her second apple.

"It's also rude to talk with food in your mouth." Usopp lowered his hand.

"Then I guess we're even." She said after swallowing. "Hey, Sanji?"

"Yes?"

"Do you have the cooking ability to make…ice cream?"

"Well of course."

She made a high pitch squeaky excited noise. "Could you please make some for dessert? Pleeeease! Please, please, please, please, please?" She gave him her biggest set of Bambi eyes, which usually always worked on her dad.

"Sure, what flavor?"

Another high pitch, squeaky noise.

"How about chocolate? You can make chocolate right?"

"Of course I can! I'll start it right now." He stood up, taking his plate to the sink.

"Yay! Ice cream!" cheered both Skie and Luffy at the same time.

"Copy cat." said Skie.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"No."

"Ya-huh."

"Go argue somewhere else." said Zoro.

As she and Luffy walked out the door, Skie said "I'm gonna eat more choc-oh-lot ice cream than you."

"No ya won't."

"Oh believe me, when it comes to ice cream, I will." And their voices faded, still arguing.

"You know, I never really thought about it, but your hair really does look like moss." Said nami, giggling.

"Shut up." said Zoro after chugging half a bottle of grog.

"What did she write on my face?" asked Sanji, attempting to look up at his forehead.

"She wrote 'I luv de wimmenz'" said Nami, laughing harder.

"…Well, that _is_ me." he said, turning back to the counter and putting some ingredients in a bowl.

"I'm gonna go see what Luffy and Skie are doing. They're probably yelling at each other about who could eat more bugs in one minute or something." Usopp stood up and walked out the door.

"Bugs? Eww." Nami stuck out her tongue at the thought.

--

"I am so!" yelled Skie, poking Luffy in the chest.

"No, I am!" said Luffy, poking her in the forehead.

"What're you guys fighting about now?" asked Usopp, grinning at them.

"USOPP!" they both roared in unison, causing him to scream and fall backwards. "What?!" he yelled, still sitting on the ground.

"Usopp, who's thinner?" Luffy asked.

"What? What kind of question is that?" he looked annoyed.

"Just answer it!" said Skie.

Usopp sighed and looked at them. Skie was definitely very, very skinny. Like a stick. But Luffy was like a twig. "Luffy is." He said, standing up and brushing himself off.

"WHAT!" roared Skie, making Usopp jump. "You callin' me fat?! Jerk!" and before Usopp could beg for mercy, her staff had already connected with his forehead, sending him flying back into the kitchen unconscious.

"The hell?" came Zoro's voice.

A second later, Nami appeared in the doorway. "What did you do that for?" she asked, her hands on her hips and an eyebrow raised.

"He called me fat." She said simply, closing her staff.

"What!" came Sanji's voice. "Who called Skie fat?! I will not stand for someone insulting a lady!" he appeared next to Nami, looking angry.

"Usopp did it." said Luffy, fearing the murderous look Sanji was giving him.

"Ah. That would explain why he just flew in here unconscious." said Sanji.

"Duh." Zoro rolled his eyes.

Sanji turned around and went back to the counter, kicking Usopp as he passed him.

Skie huffed. "I'm not fat, dang it." She stuck her tongue out at Luffy. "I'm thinner."

"Is that what you two were fighting about? Jeez!" Zoro laughed.

"Shut up Moss-Head." said Skie, walking into the kitchen.

That replaced Zoro's grin with a grumpy scowl. "Don't call me that." He said, glaring at her.

"I'll call you what I want, Moss-Head." Skie sat down at the table, grinning at the swordsman.

Nami laughed.

"Ice cream's ready!" said Sanji.

"Ice cream!" yelled Luffy, charging into the kitchen.

It was then that he tripped over the still-unconscious Usopp.

Luffy flew forward, and crashed into the cupboards, Sanji dodging (with the ice cream bowl over his head) just in time. "Oi! Luffy! Watch it!" he growled, stepping over his dizzy captain. He put the large bowl full of cold chocolate ice cream on the table. "Eat it quick before it melts."

"…" Skie stared at it for a second, then grinned evilly. "Luffy! I bet I could eat my ice cream faster than you could!" she said, getting herself four large scoops.

"Ha! You're on!" Luffy jumped over her, taking his seat and got the same amount.

"Ready, set, GO!" said Skie, putting a spoon full of ice cream in her mouth. But she stopped there, watching Luffy eat it all in about fifteen seconds.

She just sat there, her arms crossed behind her head, waiting, the spoon sticking out of her mouth.

Luffy froze, his whole body went ridged, and Skie grinned.

"AIIIEEEEE!" he yelled, grabbing his head in his hands as the brain freeziness attacked.

Both Zoro and Skie started laughing as Luffy flopped on the ground like a fish.

"You win." said Skie between gasps for air.

Usopp stirred, probably because of the sound coming out of Luffy's mouth.

"Ugn…what hit me?"

"I did." said Skie, bending over him. "Don't call a girl fat or she'll kick your butt."

"But I didn't call you fat! I just said Luffy was thinner!"

"It's the same thing."

The ship was rocked violently all of a sudden, sending all of them flying off to the side.

Luffy sat up. "Ow…Ice cream hurts!" he said, taking off his hat and rubbing his head. "But I still won." He grinned at Skie, who was had somehow ended up on the counter.

"Owch." She rolled off the counter and hit the floorboards. "Ow again." She stood up. "What the heck was that?" she said, walking to the door.

Nami had grabbed onto the table and had been able to stay in her chair. "Yeah, what was that?"

Zoro stood up off the floor and followed Skie out the door.

"What happened to you?" Usopp looked at Luffy.

"Brain freeze."

"Ah." Usopp stood up and joined the others by the door.

Skie walked out on deck and looked at the enemy ship, frozen in place.

"Who the heck are they?" Zoro stepped next to her. "Hey, what's with you?" he bent over and looked at her face, "Whoa!" he backed up. She had the look of utmost fury on her face, her teeth bared and her fists clenched, and he could have sworn he saw one of her eyes twitch.

"Skie, what's wrong?" Sanji glanced from her to the ship.

Nami stepped next to Sanji, "Who are they? They look like a bunch of kids." She said, pointing at the three-guy crew.

And indeed they were. They were all boys, two had blond hair. One of the blondies was shorter than the others, and the other one was a bit taller than the others, and he had a large forehead. And the last one, who had a larger build than the others, had brown hair. They all looked to be around the same age as Skie.

"Hey! Why'd you bump our ship?" called Luffy, stepping out of the kitchen, followed by Usopp, who had a large band-aid on his forehead.

"We've been looking for someone!" said the large foreheaded one, "And it looks like she's here!" He laughed.

"What?" Nami cocked her head to the side, she glanced at Skie.

"You heard me, now hand over that girl, and we won't attack any of you." He pointed at Skie.

"Why do you want her? She's annoying." said Zoro.

"Because, she stole my favorite pirate bandana…I want revenge!" he went into a cheesy evil scientist-like pose. "REVENGE!" he yelled, then started doing a fake evil laugh.

He took out a grappling hook, the others copying him, and they all latched onto a place on the boat, and climbed aboard. It looked like a scene from some lame old TV show.

Nobody moved, they really didn't think these boys were much of a threat.

"You're gonna be doin' all the work around the ship! And we're gonna get to boss you around!" said the short blond one, attempting to grin evilly.

"Why would we want a girl to do all the work? They can't do anything right, they're pathetic, and weak." said the brown-haired one.

Sanji and Nami's eyes widened. Zoro's eye twitched, Usopp looked angry, and Luffy tilted his head to the side.

Skie was still for a second, and it was dead quiet. She looked at them; they were all standing in front of her.

And then she smiled.

"Wha?" Sanji cocked his head to the side.

She bared all of her teeth, in a cheerful, but creepy smile. And quick as a flash, she took her staff out of her pocket, opened it up, and smacked it right against the brown-haired boy's shoulder, crashing him to the ground "Like HELL they are!" she roared, making the rest back up a bit.

"DEREK! YOU STUPID, IDIOTIC MORON!" she took a step towards him, her staff spinning like a helicopter blade at her side. It was something she had worked on when they could still stick fight.

They all looked surprised, hearing the new annoying girl so angry startled them, but they had only known her for about two days, anyway.

Derek, who must be the tall blond boy, backed up, "Hey! You aren't supposed to be that strong! You're a girl!" he said angrily.

"HA! I can name quiet a few girls under the age of five who could kick your butt!" she laughed maniacally. "You crossed the line calling girls weak." she grinned.

"But I didn't! Dalton did!" he pointed at the brown-haired boy, who was sitting up.

"You're his captain, you're in charge, you're dead." she laughed again and swung the staff around over her head before whacking each of them in the chest with one swing, sending them all crashing to the ground.

She bent over, picking Derek up by the collar. "I won't follow orders from you, got that? Now go sail away in your little toy boat." And she tossed him back onto his ship, and threw the rest as well.

"Idiots," she said, watching them frantically sail away. She closed her staff and put it in her pocket before crossing her arms.

"Who were they?" asked Sanji.

"Those were the 'Pirates' I was telling you about, the ones from…from my world? What the heck are they doing here?" she squinted after them. "Whatever, I don't care." She shrugged.

Zoro grunted, "What was with the face of fury?"

"I dislike them highly."

"Ah."

"They didn't look too threatening." said Usopp.

"That's because they aren't."

"Well, hopefully they won't show up again." said Luffy cheerfully.

--

That night, after everyone was fast asleep, Skie had went down to the infirmary to sleep, since she didn't want to sleep on the floor. Or steal anyone's pillow, at least not for a while anyway.

"Why are we doing this again?" whispered Michael, the short blond boy, climbing silently aboard after Derek.

"Because, she's our enemy, and we want revenge right?"

"Right." said Michael, climbing out of their ship onto the Going Merry.

Dalton stayed on their ship.

"Where is she?" Derek opened a door, closing it quickly but quietly when he saw four guys in it. "Nope."

Michael peeked inside Nami's room, "No. She doesn't have orange hair." he closed it.

"Found her!" whispered Derek, pointing into the infirmary.

The duo snuck down quietly, and quickly gagged her, wrapping about five layers of cloth to keep her voice muffled enough so that no one would hear.

Her eyes snapped open, and immediately narrowed in anger. She tried to yell and insult them, but her voice wouldn't work its way through the fabric.

"Ha! We're gonna win this round weakling." said Michael, grinning.

She went to strangle him, but Derek grabbed her arms and tied them behind her back tightly. She roared again, squirming like a jellyfish.

They dragged her to the edge of the boat and tossed onto their ship. She landed right in front of the mast, where they tied her up to it.

"Heh, we win." Dalton poked her in the forehead.

Derek jumped onto their ship, and waited for Michael.

He ran to the edge, but being clumsy, stripped over his own feet and made a loud face-plant. "OW!" he yelled, and slapped his hands over his mouth.

"Whoozat?" came a drowsy voice from the men's quarters.

"You IDIOT! GET DOWN HERE!" yelled Derek. Michael jumped down and onto the ship. "GO!" Derek yelled, and they started off.

Usopp drearily walked over to the edge of the Going Merry, squinting after Derek's ship, it took a second to register that Skie was tied to the crows nest.

"AUGH! EVERYBODY WAKE UP! SKIE'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!"

* * *

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK!** (that means **Read** and **Review**, guys) 


	6. To The Rescue & The Bad News

**Chapter 6**

/_edited also_/

* * *

"AUGH! EVERYBODY WAKE UP! SKIE'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!"

Nami stormed out of her room, hitting Usopp in the back of the head angrily, "Shut up will ya? I'm trying to sleep!" she barked.

"But…But, Nami! Skie's been kidnapped!" he pointed at the ocean. The idiot pirate's ship was getting smaller by the second; it was now a small blob in the horizon.

"WHAT?! Skie's been KIDNAPPED!"

"That's what I just said!"

Nami turned on her heel and speed into the men's room. "WAKE UP!" she yelled in Luffy's ear.

"AUGH! WHAT?!" he yelled, now wide awake.

"Will all of you just shut up? Jeez." Zoro put his pillow over his head.

"Nami-San! What are you doing in here?"

"Everyone, get up! Skie's been kidnapped! Up NOW!" she went back on deck.

A second later, everyone was out on the deck, and Nami started barking out orders to get the ship going the same direction as Skie's kidnappers.

--

"We win, we're da best, we win, we're da best!" The three boys chanted, skipping around the crow's nest, which Skie was tied annoyingly tight to.

As Derek passed, she stuck her foot out, tripping him. She grinned at witnessing a very painful looking face-plant.

"OW! HEY!" yelled Derek, rolling away from a downward kick at his shoulder from her. "You're gonna pay for that!" he said, standing up.

"Sooo…what now? We kidnapped her. Now what?" Michael poked her forehead repeatedly until she thrashed at him.

Derek grinned a stupid grin, trying to be evil again, "Oh, I know just what to do…DALTON!"

"Yes?"

"Get the stuff out of the cabin. I know how to torture her. With her worst nightmare!" he laughed idiotically.

Skie raised an eyebrow as they all started laughing.

"Dalton, that means NOW!" barked Derek after Dolton didn't move.

"Right, yeah, right away!" Dalton rushed into the cabin.

Michael gasped, "You don't mean…_that_ stuff do you?"

"Oh yes, yes I do…" And they all started laughing like idiots again.

--

"They have a fast ship." said Nami, irritated. They were gaining, but very, very slowly.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, I mean, they were just a bunch of kids." said Sanji, trying to comfort Nami, who looked a bit fidgety.

"When's breakfast again?"

"Luffy! Skie's been kidnapped and all you can think about is food!" said Usopp angrily.

"But Sanji said she'll be fine!"

"They could be torturing her for all we know! With big sharp pointy torture devices of _DOOM_!" Usopp pointed after the dot of a ship wildly.

"…NAMI! Make the ship go faster!" Luffy yelled, "I'm gonna clobber those boys when we reach 'em!" he yelled. As annoying as Skie had been those past two days, she was still a crewmate, even a temporary one (as Zoro was hoping).

--

The boys laughed triumphantly at their torturing. In front of them, still tied tightly to the crow's nest, was Skie, her face thick with ultra girlish makeup. Bright red lipstick and blush, blue eyeliner, ect. She loathed makeup with a passion, and they all knew it. She also hated Babies, and they made her look like one, only with about ten times more makeup.

"I'm going to KILL YOU!" she roared angrily, straining against the tight ropes.

"You couldn't kill a dead ant." said Dalton.

"That makes no sense." Skie sighed heavily.

"Yes it does, it just proves…uh…that you can't kill something that's already dead!"

"Of course I can't kill something that's already dead you idiot!"

"…ummm…shut up girl!"

"Yeah!" the other three said.

"I'll shut up when I'm done slaughtering you!"

"You're too weak to slaughter anything. You're a girl." said Dalton.

She growled like a wild animal, baring her teeth, and looked twice as creepy with the makeup on.

The boys screamed like babies and ran away from her as she snapped the ropes, clawing after them.

"I'll murder ya!" She yelled, taking out her staff and chasing them around the ship.

--

"We're almost there! Don't worry Skie! We're comin'!" yelled Luffy.

"I doubt they're torturing her Luffy, she'll be fine." said Nami.

"Why else would they kidnap her though? They said they wanted revenge! Hmmm…maybe their gonna pretend she's a giant target and throw stuff at her!" Usopp yelled.

"AUGH! SPEED UP!" yelled Luffy.

"Shh! Quiet!" said Zoro. "D'you hear something? I think I hear voices."

They all strained their ears, listening intently.

Luffy whispered; "…I don't hear anythi-"

"PUT THAT CRATE DOWN! OW!" they heard Skie yell.

They all grew slightly worried when she didn't make another sound or reply. But their worry was erased after a couple of seconds.

"YOU IDIOT! YOU'RE DEAD! YOU HEAR ME? DEAD!"

"STAY AWAY! PUT THE STICK DOWN!"

"THE PAIN!"

"THAT DOESN'T BEND THAT WAY!"

"MOMMY!"

"BACK YOU WEAK LITTLE GIRL!"

"DALTON, DON'T SAY THAT-AAH!"

Then they heard all of the boys scream in unison.

"Sounds more like she's torturing them." said Zoro, grinning.

"Thank goodness." said Nami, sighing.

Luffy laughed, "Alright! Go Skie!" he cheered.

"We'll reach their ship in about an hour at the pace we're going," said Nami.

"So can we have breakfast now?"

"Shut up, Luffy."

--

The idiot pirates huddled together at the end of the ship, far away from Skie as they could get.

"Where's the food?" she barked, her voice coming from in the cabin.

"Um…we don't have any?" said Michael nervously.

"Whaddaya mean you don't have any food?!" she stormed out of the cabin and roared at them.

"Uhh…April fools?" Derek grinned stupidly.

"OH, I'll April fools you," she said, shaking her fist at them.

"That makes no sense. You girls really are stupid."

"DALTON!"

More pain for the idiot pirates.

When she was done clobbering them with the staff, she walked off angrily to the cabin to think of a way to get them to an island and get some food so they didn't end up dying out at sea.

--

The Going Merry finally reached the small, but fast, enemy ship. And they pulled up alongside it. "SKIE!" called Luffy, scanning the deck for her.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO BOTHER ME!" came her distinctive roar from the cabin. A second later, the door was thrown open and an angry Skie came storming out, towards the huddled up pirates at the opposite end of the ship. "I told you not to bug me! If you wanna die out here at sea, then keep it up! I'm tryin' to find a way to an island! Now SHUT_ UP_!"

"But it wasn't us it was him!" Derek pointed frantically up at Luffy.

"Wha? GUYS! Hi!" she grinned happily and ran over to the edge of the small ship, looking up at the crew. "Wow, you guys actually came after me!" she said happily.

"Well duh, you're one of the crew now, we're not gonna abandon you!" said Luffy, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe Skie had just said that.

"And, we saved some breakfast for you." said Sanji.

"Really? Food? YAY!" Skie cheered.

"Can we have some?" two of the boys asked at once, sounding pitiful.

"NO!" roared Skie.

Michael wasn't really paying attention; he looked like he was trying to remember something. "ACK! Derek!" he whispered something in the large-headed idiot's ear.

"Oh yeah! SKIE!" Derek pointed at her. "You're in a coma!"

"Eh?"

"You got hit by a truck and you're in a coma! You've been out for two days!" said Derek, now standing up.

Skie glared at him. "Don't joke about stuff like that! JERK!" she refused to listen to him and threw the closest object she could grab, in this case an empty wooden crate, and threw it at them.

Hahaa! Direct hit.

"Gah!" the box didn't shatter, but instead his head got stuck in it. "Can't see!"

"Idiots." Skie growled. She looked back at her crew, who looked very confused. "Can I come up now please?" she asked, not wanting to be with the idiots any longer.

Luffy snapped his arm down grabbed her wrist, and yanked her back up. "Whoa!" she slid to a stop on her back. "Aish, deck burn." She sat up and cracked her neck from side to side. "Thanks for comin' after me guys." She grinned.

"No problemo." said Usopp.

"Whoa! They're gone!" Luffy pointed at the little ship.

"What?" Skie stepped next to him.

"Those idiots are gone!" he said, pointing at where they used to be.

"I'm still here." said Dalton, standing up and making himself visible.

"Where'd the others go?" Skie questioned.

"They must've woken up." And then he vanished in thin air.

--

While Skie was in the kitchen, eating all the food they had saved for her, the Straw Hats were on deck, talking about the vanishing boys (who were stupid).

"They just, disappeared!" said Usopp.

"Yeah, like magic!" Luffy grinned.

"What did that last boy mean? He said 'they must've woken up'. What does that mean?" Nami thought out loud.

"Could they have been dreaming and somehow they dreamed they were here? And then woke up?" suggested Sanji.

"Maybe. I don't know." Usopp shrugged.

"But if that's what happened, then Skie can't wake up. That's why she's been with us for two days. She's in a coma." Nami tapped her chin.

"Well, I guess she's gonna have to stick around until she does wake up." Zoro said.

"Good idea, we can't just drop her off on an island and leave her there," Usopp crossed his arms.

"Well duh! She's part of the crew now! I've said that like a hundred times!" Luffy stuck his tongue out at Usopp.

"I'm fine with her staying on the ship as long as she doesn't get any more annoying than she already is." Zoro headed for the kitchen to get something alcoholish to drink. He glanced at Skie to see her fast asleep with her head on the table, her plate empty.

"She fell asleep on the table," he said when he walked out of the kitchen.

"Just leave her there, she's probably tired." Said Nami.

"And what is that stuff all over her face?" Luffy grinned.

"Makeup." Sanji said.

Then they all started laughing thinking back on how goofy she looked with makeup on.

* * *

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK!**


	7. Trouble at the Waterfall

**Chapter 7**

/edited also/

* * *

The next day, after Skie had scrubbed all of the makeup off her face, and after having another eating contest against Luffy (losing this time because he knew how to beat her), she was busy daydreaming up high in the crow's nest.

Daydreaming was one of Skie's favorite things to do when she was bored. Her daydreams were pretty unusual though. Instead of a bunch of thought gibberish, she would sit back with her eyes closed and actually watch her own made-up short movies in her mind.

She was sitting with her back against the edge of the nest in the shaded area, her eyes closed as she watched her latest mini-movie. She really wished she had some music. Music always spiced up the show a bit.

"Run for it!" she said to herself as she imagined a group of friends running down a hallway, frantically trying to escape a giant tidal wave of eggnog.

They turned a corner, the eggnog crashing into a huge stack of boxes. It was just about to finally reach them when-

"ISLAND!" Luffy yelled excitedly.

"Yes I know." said Nami.

Skie shook her head, brushing the weird images away, and she leaned over the edge of the nest, "Are we stopping?" she called down to them.

"Yeah, we need to stock up on food, since we have you on the ship now." said Nami.

"Okay." Skie climbed down the rope ladder and onto the deck, yawning.

"The island looks cool." said Luffy.

And it did.

The island looked big, and the port town on the coast seemed normal enough, but what was cool was that there was a huge mountain coming up from the center of the island, and from the top of the mountain, a giant waterfall splashed to the bottom of the freakishly tall rock.

"Sweet." Skie grinned.

"What is?" asked Luffy.

"The island."

"What? The island's made of candy?!"

"Never mind."

--

"Don't get lost alright?" said Zoro to Luffy and Skie.

"We won't." she said, grinning excitedly. "Man, I'm starving, we gotta get some food." She started walking down the road and into crowd.

"Wait for me!" called Luffy. "I'm hungry too!"

--

After they had an abnormally large amount of food, mostly meat and desserts by the way, Skie and Luffy walked through the town, enjoying the scenery of the island's port town.

After a while though, they began to grow bored.

"Luffy?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm bored."

"Me too."

"…Hey, I've got an idea!"

"What is it?"

Skie pointed at the large mountain out in front of them, "Wanna go over to the base? Just to see the waterfall?"

"Sure, sounds fun."

So they started their little journey, and just as they were leaving the town's borders, an old man stopped them.

"Are you youngins headed for de mountain?" he asked.

"Yes." They said in unison.

"Well don't! Dat mountain be cursed I tell ya! CURSED!" he said, shaking his cane at them.

"Oh that's fine, we'll just take that risk." said Luffy.

"When you fall in de pit, don't come cryin' to me!" he growled before limping off with his cane.

"…Oookay, let's go now!" Skie grinned and started jogging for the mountain, Luffy jogging with her.

--

"Where do you think they went?" said Zoro, losing patience at trying to find his captain and Skie.

"We checked every restraint, and they're not in any of 'em." said Usopp.

"They might have gone to the mountain." said Sanji, tilting his head in its direction.

"Maybe..." Nami sighed. "Well, let's go get them." she said.

And just like with Luffy and Skie, the old man stopped them and told them to beware the cursed mountain.

"Two youngins like you have already walked off to their doom. Don't you be joinin' 'em." he said.

"Good, so we're going in the right direction." said Zoro, walking past the cane-shaking old man.

"B-but he said the mountain is cursed!" said Usopp.

"Oh jeez Usopp! Just stay here if you're scared!" said Nami, her and Sanji following Zoro into the woods on the town's border.

"Me? Scared! Never! Wait for me!" he yelled, running after them, ignoring his shaking knees.

"They be doomed." said the old man, shaking his head, then limped back to his house. When he got there, he roared at two little kids who were playing on his lawn.

--

It was beginning to get dark. Luffy and Skie had been walking for about an hour and a half, and they were almost at the mountain.

"Well, this is taking forever." said Skie, sighing.

"We're almost there," he said.

"Luffy! Skie!" they heard Nami's familiar voice.

"Come on you guys! We're leaving now!" yelled Usopp.

"No way! I've walked all this way to see that waterfall, I'm not stoppin' now!" she grinned, then started running at the mountain full speed.

"Wait for me!" yelled Luffy.

"I hear Luffy! They're over there!"

"Nice one Luffy." Skie said to him when he caught up.

"What'd I do?"

"They know where we are now because of your mutated voice box!"

"What?"

"I see them! Hey, they're running!" said Nami.

"RUN AWAAAY!" yelled Skie, she started sprinting now, Luffy keeping up with her.

You know when you're playing tag, and you're the one getting chased and you're all "AUGH!" on the inside? Even though you know the guy chasing you isn't going to attack you or anything? Well, that's how Skie felt right then.

"Why the hell is she running?" said Zoro, watching her and Luffy disappear into the trees.

"They want to see the mountain before get 'em obviously." said Sanji.

"Well, let's just catch them before they do. That old guy said something about falling into a pit didn't he?" said Nami.

"Yeah…" said Zoro.

"You know how clumsy Luffy is. Well let's make sure they don't!"

--

Skie and Luffy stumbled into the large clearing surround the freakishly large mountain, the top of it couldn't be seen because of the night.

"Wow! It's awesome!" Skie looked up at the mountain, watching the water appear as if out of nowhere.

"That's strange…I don't hear the water splashing." said Luffy.

"Hey, you're right." Skie jogged up a little closer to the base to see where the waterfall should be making a deafening impact with the ground. But the water wasn't even hitting the ground because it was falling into a huge pit.

"So that's why." she said.

"Look at that!" said Luffy, pointing at the waterfall.

"What? …Whoa…" she said, looking at where he was pointing with awe. Inside the water, there was something glowing, but a second later, it stopped.

"Aww man! That was soo pretty!" she whined.

She closed her eyes, thinking of a way to get at whatever was glowing a second ago.

"Luffy!" she said, "I have an ingenious plan!" she said, pointing up at the sky.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Slingshot me into the waterfall, I'll grab whatever was glowing and then you pull me back!" she said.

"What? You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure, now just hurry before the others get here!"

Luffy nodded and picked her up, spun her around, and then let his rubber arms blast her right into the waterfall.

"ACK!" he yelled as he started sliding towards the pit. The water had gone down on Skie so hard and so fast, that it was pulling them down.

"Luffy! What are you doing?" asked Zoro, walking into the clearing.

"Skie's down there! Help me pull her up!" he yelled, slowly stepping back, only to slip and fly forward.

Zoro flew forward, grabbing Luffy's ankles, the upper half of Luffy now in the hole. "You idiot! What were you two doing!" he yelled.

"Skie was trying to get something out of the waterfall!" Luffy's voice sounded all echoey in the pit.

"Get me outta here!" came Skie's voice. "Dark! Too much dark! I _hate_ the dark!"

"What's going on over here?" said Usopp as the rest of them walked into the clearing.

"I have no idea! Just help me pull these two up!" he shouted.

They all ran forward, and created a human chain, Sanji's eyes turning to hearts as he held onto Nami's waist.

"Holy friggin' shwat that's a dang big bug!" came Skie's voice.

"It's got TEETH! Stupid insect! Stay away from me!" they heard her repeatedly hit the bug on the head with her staff.

"Dang it! Are you guys even trying to pull me up?!" she yelled.

"Everybody on three!" yelled Nami's commanding voice.

"One!" yelled Usopp.

"Two!" yelled Sanji.

"Three!" they all shouted, and they all fell backwards as they yanked Luffy out of the pit.

"Where's Skie?" asked Usopp.

"Still in the hole!" said Luffy, his arms still stretched down into the pit.

Luffy suddenly lurched forward, draggin everyone on their stomachs towards the hole.

"Skie! What's going on down there!" yelled Zoro, digging his feet into the ground to stop them moving towards the pit.

"How the crud should I know! Something grabbed my leg and pulled me down! Don't you let go Luffy!" yelled her voice.

"What grabbed you?!" shouted Usopp.

"That bug! Jeez, it's coming back!"

"Get her out of there!" yelled Luffy, whose arms were straining as he held onto her tighter.

"Leggo of my leg!" yelled her voice.

More staff-hitting-giant-bug-on-the-head noises.

"I said, let GO!" there was one more extra loud and wet sounding 'THWAK!' followed by a high pitch roar of pain, and suddenly, they all flew backwards again, Luffy's arm's snapping back to him as the bug's weight was lifted.

With a yell, Skie crashed into them, the impact causing her to ricochet off Luffy to the side and roll to a stop.

"Owww." she groaned, rubbing her head.

"Skie! You okay?" asked Nami, shoving her crewmates off of her and brushing herself off.

"Yeah…" she sat up, looking a bit unnerved.

"You alright?" Nami helped her to her feet. "You look a bit…distracted"

"Well being attacked by a giant bug can do that to ya. But I'm fine." She said.

"That was so cool!" cried Luffy, jumping to his feet.

"Wanna know what else is cool?" Skie grinned.

"What?"

"I stabbed it in the eye." She showed him the end of her staff, it was dripping with dark red, almost black, blood.

"Eww." Nami stuck her tongue out and stepped back from Skie, putting some distance between her, and the staff.

* * *

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK!**


	8. Giant Bug of Nastiness

OMIGOSH I HATE BUGS!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

"Oh, Skie, did you get the thing?" Luffy asked, straightening his hat.

"What? Oh yeah!" she took something out of her sweatshirt pocket. It was about the size of a baseball.

"It kind of looks like a raspberry," she said, really looking at it for the first time.

"But why was it glowing?" wondered Luffy out loud.

"I have no idea. But I'm hungry, so why not." And Skie took a bite.

"Hey! What if that thing's poisonous?" yelled Usopp.

"Yeah, that wasn't very smart…Skie? What's wrong?" asked Sanji, seeing her suddenly look sick.

"That thing tastes nasty! Blech!" she gagged.

"Well, if you eat random unknown fruit that you take out of waterfalls, they're probably not going to taste very good." Said Zoro.

All of their eyes bulged in surprise as she shoved the rest of the fruit in her mouth, and forced herself to swallow it.

"You idiot! Why couldn't you have just put it down?" shouted Nami.

"'Cuz, I was hungry. And there's nothing around here to eat." She said, shrugging.

"Well that's a lousy reason to poison yourself." Said Zoro.

Skie stuck her tongue out at him, then yawned. "Who's tired? I am." She said.

"We all are. That's why we need to get going…now." Said Nami.

"Can't we just camp out right he-" she was cut off by a loud, and angry roar from the pit.

"Oh crud! The bug!" yelled Skie.

A huge claw appeared form inside the pit, then another, and the huge bug pulled itself up.

It looked like a giant centipede with two large mantis-like arms. Thick drool and foam dripped from its tooth-filled, open mouth.

"Crud, the bug's got rabies." Skie groaned. "I HATE bugs!" she yelled.

The monster, which was as long as two school busses, turned its head to Skie, one of its eyes gouged out, and blood dripped from the wound.

"Yay. It remembers me." She said flatly.

Everyone got ready for battle. Zoro with his three swords, Nami with her staff, Usopp ran into the trees before readying his slingshot, and Sanji lit a cigarette.

Suddenly, the monster lunged at Skie, it's huge fanged mouth wide open.

She suddenly had an unusually strong impulse to jump. She tensed her muscles and leapt straight into the air, all without thinking.

"You idiot!" yelled Zoro, then halted his charge at the monster, staring at her as he watched her jump at least 25 feet in the air, the bug crashing into a tree and sending Usopp running.

She hit the ground hard, rolling and somersaulting to a stop right next to her startled crew.

She sat up, dazed.

"What the hell was that?" yelled Zoro.

"Since when could you jump that high?" shouted Usopp.

"My, everyone is in a yelling mood today." Skie stood up.

"That was MINE!" growled the bug, turning to glare at her angrily with it's one eye. "You stole my treasure, my prize, my cursed fruit!"

"Cursed fruit?" questioned Luffy.

"Yes, the Salto-Salto Fruit." It growled (Salto is the Spanish word for Jump).

"It gives you the power to jump unthinkably high, and makes your legs shockproof to make it easy to land." It said.

"And you're telling me this because…?" Skie said.

"Um…DIE!" It lunged at her again.

"Gomu Gomu no PISTOL!" Luffy blasted the monster away.

It quickly righted itself. "I'll kill you girl. Not only for scraping my eye out, but for taking what is mine."

"I've squished a lotta bugs back home. I'll turn you into a little smear on the ground." She grinned.

"And we'll help you." Said Nami.

"Do you think that thing would be edible?" asked Luffy.

"Maybe." Said Sanji, stepping protectively next to his Nami-Swan. "If you want to end up dying of food poisoning."

Zoro was just for the bug to make a move, and Usopp was shockingly out in the open by Luffy.

But Skie got distracted and was hopping around five feet in the air like a deranged pogo stick.

"Stop fooling around!" said Usopp.

She stopped, "Oh yeah…gotta kill the bug." She glanced at the monster with curiosity. "Why were you protecting it? Why the heck would a bug want a fruit?"

The bug sniffed, "Because it was my…sniff…night light!"

"What?" Luffy cocked his head to the side.

Skie snickered, "Night…light?" then she burst out laughing, falling onto the ground. "The bug needs a nightlight!" she howled.

"Silence human!" it roared, snapping it's jaws. "I'll eat you alive!" the monster threatened.

She stood up and snapped her fingers, "Just like the veloceraptors from Jurassic Park!"

"Stop talking to it so we can kill it and get the hell back to the ship!" said Zoro angrily, sounding a bit funny with his sword still in his mouth.

"Oh fine." She turned to the bug, "I'm done talking to you now. Now please kindly attempt to kill us would you?"

Zoro rolled his eyes.

The bug sniffed again, then suddenly turned around from them and sped back to the pit, crying like a baby as it dove in.

"…Well that was stupid." Said Nami.

"Oh yes, I agree with you Nami-San." Sanji said, leaning towards her a little.

The bug suddenly reappeared, it rose up until it towered over them. Then, it did THE most disgusting thing a giant bug could ever do.

It threw up all over them.

"REVENGE!" it roared happily, then dove back down, laughing maniacally.

"…Gross." Said Sanji, wiping the chunky, bug-ingested gunk off.

That's when Skie couldn't take it anymore, she fell out of the tree she had leapt into to escape the nastiness of the bug, laughing hysterically.

Nami glared at her. "You ruined my shirt!" she yelled.

"Yes! You ruined Nami-San's shirt!" said Sanji.

"What? I didn't do anything!" Skie stood up.

"But the bug was after you!" said Nami, and then threw a handful of the grossness at Skie.

"Ack!" she moved out of the way.

"Everybody get her!" yelled Usopp, grinning as he threw some stuff at her too.

"You'll nevah catch me! NEVER!" Skie laughed, jumping backwards and going up and over the tree behind her.

"Get back here!" yelled Nami, and they all started chasing the madly-jumping Skie, who was running for the sake of her clean sweatshirt and jeans.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

About an hour later, they reached the town, Skie immediately taking refuge on a high rooftop, collapsing on the ground and gasping for breath.

She had managed to keep everything clean except for her left sweatshirt sleeve, which she had used to block an attack at her face, which had been thrown by Zoro.

"Where'd she go?" Skie heard Usopp say.

"Zoro, Luffy, will you check the rooftops?" she heard Nami say.

_Aww crud_! She thought, standing up.

She looked around frantically, trying to find some sort of cover, but the roof was flat and empty.

"Ha!" she twirled around to see Zoro pull himself onto the roof. "Found you!" he grinned.

"Stay back! I want my stuff to not be contaminated!" she said.

"Well, tough." He said, coming towards her, "Luffy! Guys! Get up here!" he called.

"Gomu Gomu no Rocket!" yelled Luffy, and he shot up onto the roof, landing clumsily next to Zoro, who was trying to corner her on the edge of the high rooftop so she couldn't jump away.

The other three were up now, all of them surrounding her, grinning evilly.

"Back! Back I say!" she warned.

When they didn't back off, she tensed, yelled "Kowabunga!" then leapt over all of them, skidding to a stop on the opposite end of the large roof.

She whirled around, "Ha!" she laughed, pointing at them.

"Get her!" Usopp yelled again.

She turned around and jumped easily to a nearby rooftop. She looked around, seeing a water hose. What a hose was doing up on the roof, you'll never know.

She ran over to it, turned the nozzle on full blast, picked up the hose, and put her thumb in the nozzle before the water blasted out.

She turned to face her crewmates who had also jumped the short distance to the rooftop she was on. She grinned evilly. "You'll never catch me alive!" she laughed and moved her thumb, blasting all of them with the icey-cold water.

"Yaaaaaaaahhh!" she yelled, spraying water blindly in their direction, her eyes shut tight as she waved the hose around crazily.

"Ulp." She said as something picked her up by the back of her shirt.

She opened her eyes to see Zoro glaring at her.

He looked angry, but she could have sworn she saw a hint of amusement in his eyes.

He was dripping wet, but clean for the most part.

The hose stopped spraying water as Sanji turned it off.

She dropped it.

"Uh…heh…hi." She said, grinning nervously.

Luffy bounded over and grabbed her arm.

"Caught you alive!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Why me? Why do I have to do laundry?" Complained Skie when they got back to the ship.

"Because it's your fault that bug thing messed them up anyway." Said Nami.

Skie mumbled angrily under her breath as Nami walked away towards the kitchen, leaving Skie alone on deck with the washtub and a large pile of dirty clothes, the starts shining overhead.

"They don't even have a washing machine." She sighed and started scrubbing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sometime around two a.m. she finished, sleepily walking into the kitchen to find some food.

She saw Sanji, who had clearly been waiting for her. He gave her a plate of food, which she started to eat hungrily at the table.

"Nami-San told me to tell you a few things before you go off to bed." He sat down at the table across from her.

"Yeah? What are they?" she asked after finishing.

"First rule," he started.

"Rules? Crap."

"Yes, rules," Sanji smiled, amused. "First rule is, no jumping super high while the ship isn't anchored. Since you ate that devil fruit, you won't be able to swim anymore."

"Okay, no jumpin' high out on deck while the ship's moving. Got it." She said.

"Second rule is from Zoro. Don't touch Zoro's pillow."

"Yup."

"And lastly, trying not to get yourself in anymore trouble, ok?"

"…I shall obey the first two, but the last one might be a bit iffyish." She said.

"Thought you might say that," Sanji grinned, "And Nami-San said that as punishment for putting yourself in danger, no ice-cream for a month."

"No ice cream? I wanna more ice cream…" she whined pathetically.

"Then don't get yourself in another life-or-death situation, and your ice cream problem will be solved." He stood up, ruffling her hair as he passed her. "G'night Skie." Then he disappeared out the door.

She yawned, then with a loud 'klunk!' her head hit the table and she was fast asleep, muttering something about ice cream freedom as she slept.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

That was gross...

**YAY FOR ICE CREAM**!

**BOO FOR ICE CREAM GETTING TAKEN AWAY**!

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! pleeeez! And for those of you who don't know what that means, it means **READ AND REVIEW**! RAWR!


	9. Lemon Juice

Ah yes, chapter nine...I remember you well...

I NEED MORE REVIEWS OR MY HEAD WILL IMPLODE!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

_A couple days after the 'bug incident'._

"Checkmate. Beat you again." Skie grinned at Luffy. They had bought a chess board for some reason before they left the port town of the nasty bug.

"But…but…but…you cheated!" Luffy pouted.

"No I didn't. And I'll prove it to you if you wanna try playing me again."

"You're on!"

As they finished setting up the pieces, Usopp came in to the kitchen, where they were playing on the table.

"So, what's the score now? Skie a million and Luffy zero?" he laughed.

"No, fifteen me, and one him. 'Cuz I felt like being nice…actually that one was a checkers game and I suck at checkers."

"Let's plaaaaay!" Luffy whined.

"Oh FINE!" and they started they're game.

_Five minutes later_

"Checkmate. AGAIN! Good gosh Luffy you're horrible."

"Well…not at eating contests!"

"Well I beat you the first time."

"But I beat you all the other times!"

"You're point?"

"Um…SANJI!"

"I knew you didn't have a point."

"So?"

"What do you want Luffy?" Sanji asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"I'm hungry." He said.

"You had breakfast two hours ago." Sanji sighed.

"Yeah, and now it's lunch."

"Nooo, you had breakfast at 6 a.m. so that means it's 8 a.m. right now, four more hours Luffy and then it'll be breakfast."

"FOUR!" he banged his head on the table. "Meeeat…" he bawled.

"Can we have ice cream for dessert?" Skie asked.

"Sure, why not." Sanji shrugged.

"Cool, thanks." She grinned.

"Noooo!" Luffy clutched his skull, remembering the brain freeze.

"Calm down you big baby." Skie poked his forehead.

"No contest with the ice cream!" he said.

"Oh fine." She stood up, "I'm bored with chess, I'm gonna go find somethin' else to do." She walked out on deck and looked around, seeing Nami she walked over to her and asked; "Nami, when are we getting to the next island, I really, really, really wanna jump around."

"Tomorrow." She said, looking up from the newspaper she was reading.

"Why are we going to another island so soon again?" Skie sulked over to her room and closed the door behind her.

"Because you, Luffy, and Usopp at most of the food last night. I don't even want to know how."

"Heh, oh yeah. That was fun." she sighed, "Gah, tomorrow, that's a whole DAY," she sulked to her room and shut the door behind her.

"What's with her?" Zoro asked, just finishing up a little workout.

"She's bored." Said Nami simply, going back to her newspaper.

"Ah."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Booooorreed…going to diiiieee of boooorrreedooommmm…" she groaned, somehow hanging upside down from a chin-up bar Zoro had put in the infirmary for some reason. She had her hands in her sweatshirt pocket and her face was red because of the blood rushing to it.

"I'm dizzy." She grinned.

"What are you doing?" she turned her head towards the door to see Usopp, looking amused.

"Well, if you must know, I'm trying to test the durability of this bar." She said, sticking her tongue out.

"Yeah…" he grinned and walked over to her, the bar was so high up that they were eyelevel. "Ha!" he said, poking her stomach.

"Ack!" she laughed and lost her grip on the bar, falling on her back. "Hey!" she stood up, rubbing her head.

"How's the durability?"

"What?"

"The durability of the bar."

"Oh yeah…it's good, yes, very sturdy." She nodded as if she knew what she was talking about.

"Okay, that's good." He laughed and walked out of the infirmary.

"Oh you'll pay Pinocchio…you'll pay." She laughed evilly.

"Now what?" Usopp poked his head back in the door.

"What was what now?"

"You were laughing." He said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, so? Gotta problem with that?"

"Nooo…" then he disappeared.

"Ow." She rubbed her head again, "A WHOLE DAAAY! I'M FLIPPI'N BOOOORED!" she yelled.

"We know!" called Zoro.

"I know you know 'cuz I just told the whole ship smart one!"

"…be quiet." Came his reply.

"You be quiet!" Skie said, walking out of her room.

"Why don't you make me?" he taunted, grinning.

"I don't make monkeys, I just train 'em." She grinned back.

"...What!" he yelled.

Nami started laughing.

"You're a monkey!" he said.

"I know you are but what am I?"

"…Whatever." He walked to the other side of the ship, laughing to himself.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That night, during dinner, Skie snuck some lemon juice out of the stores (thanks for the idea Bibs) and put it in her pocket.

Everyone was already at the table, and Skie was overly happy to see Usopp had lemonade. But she needed to get him out of the kitchen if she wanted to put the lemon drops in his glass.

She walked out on deck and shouted, "USOPP! OMIGOSH LOOK!"

Usopp ran out, "What? What is it!" he looked around.

"On the other side of the deck! Go get it!"

"Get what!"

"Just hurry before it gets away!"

Usopp looked confused, but shrugged and did as she said.

She immediately went back into the kitchen, seeing that he had drank most of his lemonade, leaving only a tiny bit left. "Perfect." She said, grinning.

She poured the rest of his lemonade in Luffy's glass, and put the same amount of lemon juice back into it. Then put it back into her pocket and took her place next to Luffy.

They all looked both highly amused and confused (I rhyme). But didn't say anything to Usopp when he came back in, looking annoyed.

"What was I chasing?" he asked her, taking his spot.

"I have no idea." She said, and started eating her dinner.

They all got quiet as Usopp picked up his glass, but he didn't seem to notice the dead silence, and he chugged it all.

His eyes widened, then squinted up and his face got all tight. He swallowed the lemon juice, and then…"GYAAAAAAA!" he yelled, falling backwards out of his chair, yelling and screaming.

The rest of the crew were laughing, especially Skie.

"Who did that!" he demanded after a minute or two.

They all grinned at Skie, who suddenly became very interested in the ceiling and started whistling.

"I knew it!" he said, jumping to his feet and pointing at her.

"And I do not regret it!" she said, grinning, "That's for poking me and making' me fall off that bar." She started laughing again.

"Quiet you!" said Usopp, crossing his arms.

Skie was too busy laughing.

"Hmph." Usopp put his chair back up and sat down, and continued to eat, looking grouchy and annoyed.

So they finished eating, and everyone went to sleep.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning, everyone was up bright and early to see the island, except for Skie of course. She was sleeping sideways on her bed, her head and back on the floor and her feet on the mattress.

"Why won't she wake up?" Luffy asked Usopp, poking Skie in the forehead. She grumbled something and put her arm over her eyes.

"WAKE UP!" yelled Usopp, right in Skie's ear.

"GAAHH!" she yelled flinching so bad she ended up doing a backwards somersault and was sprawled on the floor, her eyes wide opened. "WHAT!" she yelled, sitting up and glaring at her two annoying pals.

"We're gonna see the island! Hurry up!" said Luffy, jumping over her and out the door, Usopp following.

"Island? Yay! I get ta jump!" she said happily. She closed the door behind them, changed out of her pajamas and into her clothes, and then ran out on deck, nearly crashing into Zoro who'd been standing by her door.

"Oi! Watch out." He said.

"Yeah, sorry." She said, then ran over to the railing of the deck where Usopp and Luffy were. "Hi guys, mornin'." She said cheerfully.

"Morning Skie." Said Luffy, doing his trademark grin.

Usopp huffed, not taking his eyes off the small dot that was the island they were going to.

"You still angry about yesterday Usopp? What? You wanna hug?" Skie asked.

He opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, all the air got squeezed out of his lungs from a bear hug given to him by Skie. "Air! Need air to breathe!" he gasped.

"Group hug!" Luffy cheered, squeezing them both and picking them up off the ground.

He put them down, both of them intaking large gasps of oxygen.

"There's my apology, you ain't gettin' a sappy 'sorry' out of me." She said, helping Usopp up. "Well…at least not for something like lemon juice. Now, if I accidentally cut off your arm, then you'd get a big sorry from me." She grinned.

Usopp nodded, "The lemon juice thing has been forgiven! Consider yourself lucky." He said.

"Oh I do." She turned back to see the island, "Wow." She said, they were really getting there fast. They could even make out the town and the dock.

"The wind is really strong here." Said Nami, stepping next to Skie. "We'll reach the island in maybe about eight minutes." She smiled.

And slowly, the small island came into focus. Like the last one, it had a forest behind the town.

"Cool!" said Luffy and Usopp together.

"I get to jump again! Yay!" Skie cheered.

"Who're they?" Nami asked, pointing at a lone girl and boy on the dock. The girl looked about ten and the boy looked about seven.

"No. Way." Said Skie, her mouth hanging open.

"What? Who are they?" asked Luffy, cocking his head to the side.

"They're my little brother and sister!"

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Next chapter is like...meh favorite.


	10. Movie Mania

La la la! Favorite chaptah! Everybody dance and shout! LA LA LA!

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"Your brother and sister?" Luffy cocked his head to the side, "Really?"

"Yes, really." Skie said, "HEY!" she called, waving at them.

Her brother and sister waved back, her brother jumping up and down like a crazed maniac.

They docked the ship and everyone went on deck, Skie jumping over everyone and landing in front of her siblings. "Hiya." She said to them.

"When did you learn to jump like that?" asked her sister.

"I ate a devil fruit. It was nasty."

"WOW!" said her brother, "That's cool!"

"Yes, fantastic, wonderful, introduction time!" said Skie.

"Guys," she said to her siblings, "This is Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Nami." She looked at her crewmates, "And guys, this is my sister Amber, and my brother Bob."

"Bob?" Sanji grinned.

"Yes, Bob." Said Amber. "You think his name is funny?"

"Yes, very." Said Zoro.

Amber mock-gasped. "Bob, he thinks your name is funny! The fiend!"

Bob growled and charged, ramming his head into Zoro's stomach.

Zoro fell over with the wind knocked out of him, while Bob kicked him repeatedly.

Skie shook her head and grabbed Bob's arm, "Cut it out." She said.

"Little monster." Said Zoro, standing up.

"You have no idea." Said Skie and Amber at the same time.

"Alright guys, Sanji, Zoro, and I are gonna go shopping, you…uh…five…stay on the ship until we come back, oh, and is there anything you guys want?" asked Nami.

"CHOCOLATE!" shouted Zack.

"Be quiet!" said Amber.

"We can do chocolate, alright, be back soon." Said Nami, and they walked off, leaving the five loons on the dock.

They all marched back up onto the ship, and into the kitchen.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"And that, is why wood floats." Said Usopp, grinning.

"Wow! I thought it had something to do with light…" said Luffy.

"No, no, no! It's because-" she was interrupted by the noise of Amber banging her head on the table.

"Stop. Talking." She growled, glaring at them.

"Jeez, moody much?" said Skie.

"Yes."

Bob was poking Luffy in the shoulder with a goofy grin on his face.

"Stop that." He said.

"Stop what?" Bob asked, still poking and still grinning.

"Stop poking me."

"Me? Poking? Not me!"

"Yes you are! See? See? You just poked my shoulder again!"

"Did not."

"You did it again!"

Bang! Bang! Bang! "Make it stop!" said Amber.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hi everyone! We're back…whoa…" said Nami, looking at the scene in front of her.

Usopp and Luffy were wrestling, Skie acting as referee. Amber, wearing a huge anime-sized band-aid, was arguing with Bob about something.

"Chocolate." Said Sanji, putting the box of candy on the table.

"SUGAR!" yelled the three siblings at once, literally diving for the chocolate.

THUNK! They all head-butted each other.

"Oww…" mumbled Amber, watching Luffy and Usopp join her siblings in pigging out on chocolate. "You know…this reminds me of something…" she said.

Bob dropped his chocolate and stared at Amber, "Noooo!" he said, waving his arms up and down.

"What's up with you?" asked Skie.

"Don't do it!" Bob yelled at Amber.

"This reminds me of that one time!" said Amber, and she snapped her fingers…

_**FLASHY EFFECT!**_

"What the heck?" said Zoro, looking around.

They were in the middle of a large room, everything was very colorful, and a brown lake and a river were off to the side.

They were in the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movie. The first one that is.

"WHAT THE HECK? WE'RE IN A MOVIE?" yelled Skie, "Cool."

"Hey…candy…is…everywhere…" said Bob, drooling.

"EVERYONE GET THE CANDY!" yelled Amber and Skie.

Luffy and Usopp obeyed, following the trio into battle against the candy.

Nami just wandered around, eating as she went, Sanji following her.

Zoro rested his back up against a tree, plucking leaves from the branches and popping them in his mouth.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Willy Wonka walked into his candy room maybe an hour after the crew had arrived, but he was still unaware of their presence.

He looked around, his eyes widening as he viewed his once magnificent, and now ravaged, candy room. "Oh my," he said, looking on a gnawed on metal post.

He sighed and blew his little pipes, drawing their attention, but also calling forth his workers. "Well, it seems you have destroyed my…life's work…" he blew out of the side of his mouth.

"Oompa Loompas…Attack!" he ordered.

"CHYA!" an army of the little orange men, armed with spears, marched towards them. They surrounded the crew, pushing them back into a tight circle.

"This reminds me…of another thing…" said Amber.

Zoro had his swords out, waiting for the Oompa Loompas to attack.

"Yeah! That one movie!" she snapped her fingers just as the Oompa Loompa's dove in for the stabbiness.

_**FLASHY EFFECT AGAIN!**_

"Again with the teleporting!" said Skie, looking around, "Now where are we? What movie are we in now?"

"I don't know…" Amber shrugged.

They were in a large field, the sides sloping upwards so if felt like they were in a giant grass-covered bowl.

"This is just weird…honestly you and your siblings will be the death of us one day." Sighed Nami, rubbing her head. "Ah well, its fun anyway." She smiled.

"Yes." Said Amber. "But I can't remember! Where are we?"

As if to answer her question, the ground started rumbling.

"I don't know whether to say 'uh-oh' or 'cool'." Said Skie. "So I'm just gonna say, 'Bring it'."

They heard yelling/roaring from either side of the bowl, and looked around.

On one side, an army of orcs became visible, armed to the teeth.

And on the opposite side, the humans and elves.

"…Oh…my…gosh…it's…GANDALF!" yelled Skie, jumping up and down and pointing at the white-robed figure. "AND ARAGORN!" she squealed.

"And Legolus." Said Amber.

"Who?" said the Straw Hat crew together.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Who are they?" Aragorn asked Gandalf.

"I think they're demons…look, that ones got green hair…" he answered.

"They might be demons working for Sauron!" said Legolus

"Maybe we should kill them." Said Gimli.

"Good idea." Said Gandalf.

The human/elvish army charged down the slope.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What are they?" the orc commander asked one of his men.

"I don't know."

"Do you think they're edible?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go!"

And the orc army charged down the slope.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Great! We've got two armies coming at us full speed!" said Nami.

"I'll protect you Nami-San!" said Sanji.

"Are you kidding? This is awesome!" said Skie, "We're about to be slaughtered by Lord of the Rings characters!"

"Yeah…great." Said Zoro, getting his swords out.

"We're about to be squished!" said Amber, sounding not the least bit scared. "Like that one movie!" she snapped her fingers as the two armies were about to clash into each other with them in the middle.

_**FLASHY FLASHY!**_

They found themselves in a city, it was dark and people were running past them and screaming.

"What're they so worked up about?" said Zoro.

Nami poked him in the shoulder.

"What?"

She pointed up at something behind him, her mouth hanging open.

Zoro, and everyone else, turned to see the State Puff Marshmallow man stomping towards them.

"GHOSTBUSTERS!" yelled Skie happily.

Bob charged at the monster.

"What're you doing? Get back here!" yelled all of them at once.

"But it's made of candy!" he cried.

"…He's right." Said Skie.

"CHARGE!" yelled Amber and Luffy.

So Bob, Skie, Amber, and Luffy latched themselves onto the State Puff's leg. Usopp was running around in circles screaming, Nami was clinging onto Sanji's arm, Sanji had an idiotic grin on his face and hearts in his eyes, and Zoro looked like he had a headache. Which he probably did.

Luffy took an enormously large bite out of its leg.

The marshmallow roared and toppled, falling backwards onto the empty street, and happened to land on a burning building. Therefore, giant roasted marshmallow.

"Get away from there!" said Zoro, him and Sanji picking up two of them up at a time by their shirt collars, pulling them away from the marshmallow as it caught fire.

"Dang sweet." Said Skie, squirming to make Sanji put her down.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What happened" said Peter, looking down at the burning marshmallow.

"Those kids ate its leg and knocked it over…ingenious." Said Spengler.

"More like a bunch of starved lunatics." Said Ray.

They turned to the portal to finish off their enemy…

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I LOVE YOU RAY!" yelled Skie up to the huge skyscraper she knew the Ghostbusters were on.

"Love…" Amber glanced at Sanji, who was flirting with Nami, as usual. "Hey! That reminds me!" she snapped her fingers.

_**FLASH-O-RAMA!**_

"Now what? Gnya?" Skie twirled around at the sound of horses coming their way.

On four white horses, Buttercup, Inigo, Westly, and Fezzik rode at them.

"No. Way." Said Skie.

They stopped, looking startled, "Hello, where'd you come from?" said Westly.

Skie made a high-pitched noise, "Omigosh it's Westly!" she squealed, jumping up and down.

"Yes, that is my name. How did you come to know it?"

She squealed again, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Aww…True love." Said Amber, looking from Buttercup to Westly. "It's adorable."

"That is so not like you to say something like that." Said Skie.

"I know."

"NAMI! SANJI! You two should be like that!" said Bob.

"We should listen to the boy." Said Sanji, purring at Nami.

"Who are you people? And how is it that you appeared so suddenly right in front of us?" asked Inigo.

"Omigosh its Inigo!" Skie squealed yet again.

"Would you stop that?" said Zoro through clenched teeth.

"No. I'll probably do it more." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Very strange." Said Westly.

"Aw man! We're at the end! I wanted to see the fight between Inigo and Westly." Pouted Skie.

"How is it you know about our fight?" asked Inigo, cocking his head to the side.

Amber grinned, "Oh, we know a lot about you." She cleared her throat and picked up a stick, Skie copying her and picking up a stick as well.

"You seem a decent fellow, I hate to kill you." Said Amber.

"You seem a decent fellow, I hate to die." Said Skie.

They started a mock sword fight, swishing their thin sticks around with ease, everyone staring at them.

"You are using Bonetti's defense against me, uh?" said Amber.

"I thought it fitting, considering the rocky terrain"

"Naturally, you must expect me to attack with Capo Ferro."

"Naturally, but I find that Thibault cancels out Capo Ferro, don't you?"

"Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa, which I have! " she paused "You are wonderful!"

"Thank you. I've worked hard to become so."

"I admit it, you are better than I am."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Because I know something you don't know."

"And what is that?"

"I am not left-handed." She switched her stick to her other hand.

"You're amazing!" said Skie

"I ought to be after twenty years."

"There is something I ought to tell you."

"Tell me."

"I'm not left-handed either" Skie switched her stick to her other hand.

They started fighting, pausing their wordplay.

"Who are you?"

"No one of consequence."

"I must know."

"Get used to disappointment."

Amber shrugged, "Okay."

They fought a bit more, then Skie disarmed Amber, and she dropped to her knees.

"Kill me quickly." She said.

"I would as soon destroy a stained-glass window as an artist like yourself. However, since I can't have you following me either..." she pretended to whack her sister over the head, and Amber hit the ground.

"Please understand I hold you in the highest respect." Said Skie.

Amber stood up and they bowed, "And there ya go."

"That was funny." Said Zoro, grinning.

The four movie people looked very shocked.

"How is it you know about their battle?" asked Buttercup.

"We also know what Vizzini's opinion of Fezzik's way to kill people is."

"Oh really?" asked Fezzik, grinning, "What is it then?"

Skie turned to Amber, putting on a face of mock-frustration. "Pick up one of those rocks, get behind the boulder. In a few minutes the man in black will come running around the bend. The minute his HEAD is in view, HIT IT WITH THE ROCK!"

"…wow." Said Westly. "Impressive. But I must admit, I am slightly disturbed on thinking about how you know all this."

"We know EVERYTHING." Said Amber.

"ONE PIECE!" said Skie.

"That reminds me!" said Amber.

"See ya! Love the sword fighting by the way." Skie said to the four people before they disappeared in a flash of light as Amber snapped her fingers.

"What strange people." Said Buttercup.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They were all back where they started, in the kitchen of the Going Merry.

"Well, that was fun." Said Skie, grinning.

"I can't say that wasn't interesting." Said Nami.

"GASP! LOOK! THEY'RE HOLDING HANDS!" yelled Amber.

And indeed they were.

"I don't know what it was, but the last place we were at just made me feel all warm and bubbly when I stand next to Sanji." She said, leaning on his shoulder and predictably turning his eyes into giant hearts.

Skie elbowed Amber in the side, "Ain't that cute?"

"Twoo love!" Amber said, mocking the Bishop from Princess Bride.

"That was cool!" said Luffy and Usopp at the same time, laughing.

"That reminds m-"

"NO!" the entire ship yelled.

"What?"

"NO more snapping!" said Skie.

"Oh fine. BE that way."

Bob laughed, then stopped, yawning.

"It is getting kind of late." Said Nami, walking out on deck and seeing it was nighttime, "Heck, it is late, everyone get to bed!" she yelled.

Everyone went to their own rooms, Bob following the boys, and Amber following her sister into the infirmary.

"GOOD NIGHT EVERYONE!" they yelled together. They received a mixture of grunts and sleepy yells as a reply.

"WE LOVE YOU TOO!" they yelled, laughing.

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YAAAAY!

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! and roll. Because I like both. That means REVIEW PEOPLE! Please! I'm beggin' ya!


	11. Torturing Zoro and Goodbyes

**CHAPTAH 11!**

Yay! More chapters! **WAHOO**!

Have any of you ever heard the Steven Trilogy by Alice Cooper? Good gosh is it scary...he's a crazy maniac...RUN!

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_The next morning_

"Boooorreed." Whined the three siblings, plus Luffy, at the same time.

"Well go find something to do. In another part of the ship." Said Zoro, who was attempting to take a nap.

"But I don't waannaaa." Said Skie. She suddenly had a strange impulse to yell something (I get those impulses for real. But I usually hold 'em back and that's usually the reason why I'm so dang hyper all the time.). "ZORO!" she shouted, startling the swordsman so bad he fell off the railing of the ship and hit the deck.

"Jeez! What?" he yelled back.

She yelled a slur of gibberish at him.

"What?"

"Razafraz! Cherry! Shoe! Plastic! Plant! Metal! Cartoon! Elec-TRICITY!"

He stared up at her up in the crow's nest, her siblings and Luffy hanging over the sides like zombies. Luffy was actually drooling for some reason. Maybe in his boredom, he was daydreaming of meat.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" he shouted angrily.

"I DON'T KNOW!" she yelled.

"…Weirdo."

"WHUT?"

"I called you a weirdo."

"DOOM!" she cried, dive-bombing Zoro from the crow's nest.

"ACK!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Usopp walked out of the kitchen, Sanji walking out a second later to see what all the commotion was out on the deck.

"Eh?" Sanji cocked his head to the side at the strange occurrence in front of him.

Usopp just started laughing.

Skie was sitting on top of Zoro's back, holding his arms up above his head, making it very impossible for him to move without straining one of his arms and giving him a major muscle cramp. He was yelling so many threats at once, you couldn't tell them apart.

Bob, Amber, and Luffy were leaning over the crow's nest's edge cheering and yelling.

"How the heck did she pull that off?" said Nami, who was standing in the doorway of her room.

"I have no idea." Said Sanji.

"SAY IT!" Skie yelled.

"Say what?" Zoro yelled back.

"Say uncle!"

"WHY?"

"SAY IT!"

"NO!" he yelled, turning his head and baring his teeth up at her.

"BOB!" she called.

"What?"

"C'mere and tickle him!" she grinned.

"Okay!" he started climbing down.

"What? NO! Nonononononono. NO!" yelled Zoro, squirming.

"Say uncle!"

"No!"

Bob started tickling him under his arms and on his sides. And I bet you didn't know Zoro was ticklish did ya?

He started laughing and threatening at the same time, flopping around like a fish out of water.

"Say it!"

"I'll murder ya!" he yelled, laughing.

"Amber! Come and help Bob!"

"Yay!" Amber cheered, climbing down the rope ladder.

"You just gotta say uncle." Said Skie.

"NOOO! Stay away!" he shouted, still laughing.

Amber helped her brother torture Moss-Head.

He started laughing like a deranged crazy lunatic.

Somewhere along his very loud laughter and his attempts to squirm away, Zoro slammed his head on the deck and went limp.

"…" The three siblings stared at him.

"You killed Zoro!" said Amber.

"Me? I didn't kill him! You did!"

"He's not dead!" Bob poked him, "See? He's breathing!"

And he was. In fact, he was snoring.

"Well that's good. I thought he was dead." Said Amber.

"But we're gonna be dead when he wakes up!" said Bob, jumping to his feet and backing away from Zoro like he was a time bomb.

"Holy shwat you're right!" Skie stood up and stepped off Zoro, preparing to find a place to hide until he woke up and cooled down.

She took a step towards the kitchen when something grabbed her ankle.

"EVERYBODY SCATTER!" yelled Amber, putting her arms in the air and running off, Bob following her, throwing his arms in the air in a similar fashion.

Skie looked down at Zoro to see him grinning evilly up at her. "You. Are. DEAD!" ye yelled.

"PUT ME DOWN MOLE!" she yelled as he picked her up with one arm around her waste and carried her to the kitchen, slamming the door behind him.

"LEGGO!" Sanji, Usopp, and Nami heard her yell.

"I said LET GO!"

They heard a crash, followed by more yelling.

"They're wrecking my kitchen!" Said Sanji, storming towards the door.

He was about to open it when the door smacked into his face, crashing him to the ground.

Zoro stomped out of the kitchen, doing a bad job of hiding the grin on his face, and into the men's quarters, slamming that door as well.

"Ow." Said Sanji, standing up and brushing himself off.

Usopp and Nami walked over to the kitchen, peeking inside, and immediately started laughing.

"SHUT UP!" yelled Skie.

She had her left ankle tied to one of the ceiling rafters and was hanging upside down from it, her arms crossed over her chest to keep her shirt up. She was slowly spinning in a circle.

"That's just too funny." Said Usopp, pointing at her.

"It's rude to point big-nose." She mumbled.

"Hey! How'd ya get like that?" asked Luffy with a very loud voice.

"Go ask Moss-Head." She answered grumpily.

"AUGH! HE FOUND US!" came Bob's voice.

"I BLAME YOU!" yelled Amber.

A second later, Zoro came into the kitchen with a kid in each arm and did the same thing to them as he did to Skie, and left them hanging from the ceiling before he walked out of the kitchen whistling to himself.

"This is all your fault." Amber said to Skie.

"Is not."

"Yes it IS." Said Bob.

"You all are just psycho." Said Nami, laughing.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The siblings were still hanging from the ceiling when dinner came, they're faces beet red.

"Good grief I'm dizzy." Said Amber.

"SHNOOORE." Snored Bob.

"WAKE UP!" the sisters yelled, startling their brother into waking up.

"WHUT?" he yelled.

"STOP YELLING!"

"AUGH!"

"Be quiet!" said Zoro, walking into the kitchen and sitting down at the table.

"YOU!" yelled Skie.

"Untie us now!" whined Bob.

"Shut up." Said Amber, who had spun so her back was facing the rest of them.

The rest of the crew wouldn't untie them because one; Bob's snoring had frightened them. Two; the evil eye Amber was giving everyone was also frightening. And three; Skie kept swearing in pig Latin and shouting gibberish and yelling very graphic and bloody threats to anyone who so much as passed the kitchen door.

So everyone was freaked out. Except Zoro. He thought it was just funny.

"I'm gonna decapitate you with a spoon Zoro!" roared Skie.

"Try it." He said, grinning.

She swung at him. Zoro didn't even flinch because her arm was a good three feet away from him.

"If you don't untie me, I'll-"

"MEEAT!" yelled Luffy, charging in.

He ran past Skie, who grabbed onto his collar, which caused him to snap backwards and end up on the ground.

"OW! What was that for?" he yelled, standing up and glaring at her.

"Untie me!" she said.

"You didn't say please." He snorted and sat down at his place.

Everyone else sat down as well, scooting away from the siblings when they entered the kitchen.

"Untie me." Commanded Amber, glaring at Usopp.

"And why should I? You're eyes scare me." He said, flinching away fro them.

"Untie me or I shall snap my fingers and bring everyone into…Barney." She said.

"AUGH! IT BUUUURRNS!" yelled Skie, clapping her hands over her ears.

"Followed by…Dora the Explorer."

"NOOOOO!" yelled Bob.

"And then…One of the…BARBIE MOVIES!" she started laughing maniacally.

Bob and Skie both screamed so loud even Zoro covered his ears.

"YOU EVIL LITTLE PERSON!" said Skie.

"Untie me Usopp, or you'll condemn your crew to a lifetime of happy little bunnies and talking purple dinosaurs."

Usopp stood up and untied her ankle, dropping her to the ground.

"Good Pinocchio." She said, patting him on the head and sitting down.

Usopp shivered and sat down at the table also.

"What about US?" demanded Skie. "I can threaten just as good as her! Only not as eevil."

"Well then your threats aren't threatening." Said Zoro.

"Food time." Said Sanji, putting a plate in front of everyone. He walked past Skie, slicing the ropes on her ankles off with a knife as he walked back to the sink.

THUNK

"OW!"

"Why'd you set her loose?" shouted Zoro.

"Because it's dinner time. And a lady shouldn't have to go without dinner, ever." He said without turning around.

"Oh Sanji-Kun, you're such a gentleman." Sighed Nami.

Amber pretended to gag herself with her finger, making Zoro and Usopp chuckle.

"Sanji-Kun, would you mind making Orange sherbet for dessert please?" she asked.

"Anything for my Nami-Swan!" he purred, looking at her with huge heart-eyes (or eye).

Skie was already at the table eating her food like a crazy person.

Luffy was done and was getting seconds, swiping some off Zoro's plate.

"LUFFY!" he yelled, whacking him in the side of the head with his plate.

Skie stood up and jumped up to Bob, grabbing onto the rafter and untying the rope around his ankle, dropping him to the ground.

"Food!" he said, sitting down next to Zoro and started eating.

"What? No 'thank you'? GOSH!" Skie sighed as Bob gave her a quick 'thank you'.

"Hey, Zoro. Wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?" Bob asked after his plate was cleared.

"No."

If you've ever seen the movie Dumb and Dumber, well, Bob is doing the most annoying sound in the world. If you haven't, it sort of sounds like this;

"GNYEEHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Oh jeez! STOP!" said Zoro.

Bob stopped and grinned happily to see that his job was done. Zoro had been annoyed.

"I'm kinda tired." Said Amber. "Or am I feeling awake? I dunno. I heard mom's voice say 'get outta bed, or you'll be late for school!'" Amber shrugged, "Or maybe I'm going crazy."

"I wouldn't disagree with that." Said Usopp.

"Ah well," Skie "See ya around Amber."

"See ya round Skie." And Amber vanished.

"GAH!" Usopp yelled, falling off his chair.

"Calm down spazz. She just woke up." Said Skie.

"It still freaks me out." Came his voice from the floor.

"Hey, Bob, why are you still asleep. Usually you're awake two hours before everyone else." Said Skie.

"I dunno. Maybe I'm not feeling good? Or maybe I'm taking a nap…"

"I'm confused." Said Skie.

"Speaking of waking up, I gotta go."

"Alright, bye Bob."

"Bye Skie!" and he vanished.

"AUGH!" Usopp and Luffy fell out of their chairs.

"Why'd you fall over?" Skie asked Luffy.

"Because Usopp pulled me down!"

"Ah."

Zoro looked like he had a headache.

"Dang. All alone again with the psycho again huh?" she grinned at her crewmates.

"Well, one psycho is better than three." Said Nami.

"I agree." Said Sanji.

"Of course you do." Said Zoro.

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**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! and roll.  
If you read a chapter, just put a little review. Not one review every five chapters! That's just silly, silly!

Oh, and check out my other story! Psycho in Hogwarts and Bookworm on the Going Merry! Skie and Hermione switch bodies! Chaos insues! Malfoy gets beaten up! Hermione goes insane! (not really, but she gets highly annoyed) **Read it and Review please!**


	12. Shanks' Daughter

**CHAPTER 12!**

Hey! It's Bibs' first appearance! She's in the story a lot in the sequel (THERE'S GONNA BE A SEEEQUEL!) every body spazz out! (and review)

And don't worry Chey! You'll show up too! In an awesomely kewl way, Bibs is gonna show up again too...great...the moody flute-playing crazy person's gonna be in my story again...flinches Dun't hurt me Bibs! I didn't mean it! Actually...I did. Oh well. Just don't stab me in the eye with a pencil again, ok?

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On a small island…

A thirteen-year-old girl walked through a crowd, her brown hair was streaked bright red, and was pulled up in a ponytail. She was wearing camouflage pants and a T-shirt that said 'Daddy's girl' (nyuk nyuk).

She stopped, and turned around, "WHY are you following me?" she barked at the ten perusing pirates.

"Well, because your father told us to. Paid us 50 berries each he did." Said one of them.

"Well HERE, a hundred berries!" she gave each of them the money, "Now go buy something and leave me alone! Jeez!"

"YAY!" they cheered, and ran off.

She turned around and kept walking, annoyingly aware of two people who hadn't stopped guarding her.

She kept walking, grinding her teeth. Finally, "AUGH! WHAT?" she turned around to see Ben Beckmen and the Lucky Roux (I think that's the fat guy's name…). "What do you guys want?"

"Captain Shanks told us to guard his daughter. So we are." Said Ben.

"He's an overprotective weirdo! Go away!" she turned around on her heels and sprinted into the crowd, grinning as she heard the two yell after her.

She ran for a while, weaving her way through the people, and just when she was sure she had lost them…

**KA-RASH!**

"OW!" said both people at once.

Skie looked up to see who she had run into, "BIBS?" she practically yelled.

"SKIE?" she yelled.

Skie glomped her pal, Bibs having to pry her off.

"What're you doing here?" said Skie, standing up.

"What are YOU doing here?" she stood up also.

"I asked first."

"So?"

"So answer the question!"

"Umm…no."

"NO?"

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Are you confused?"

"Very."

"HA!" Bibs laughed.

"Oh fine, I'll answer first. I got hit by a car, and am in a coma and here I am. AND, this is gonna make you jealous. I'm on the Straw Hat crew." Skie said proudly.

"…Lucky. Is Sanji there yet?"

"Yes."

Bibs made a high-pitched-girl-is-excited noise. "Is he here?"

"Yes."

"Can I meet him?"

"…Tell me what you're doing here first."

"Now it's YOUR turn to be jealous. I'm Shank's daughter." She said, crossing her arms.

Skie's mouth hung open. "No. Way. CAN I MEET HIM?"

"If I can meet Sanji…then yes."

"Well let's go find my crew shall we?"

Skie headed back to the ship, but no one was on it, except for Usopp, who had been tricked into keeping watch.

"HEY! USOPP!." Shouted Skie.

"PINOCHIO!" yelled Bibs.

"What?" he called.

"Where are the others?"

"In town somewhere! I don't know!" he looked at Bibs, "Who's she? Another sister? Do you have another sister?"

"No. That's my pal Bibs. Shank's daughter."

"…Oh, that's nice." He said, the fact not clicking into his brain. "Well, good luck finding the others."

"Um…Thanks Usopp." Said Skie, and they turned around and ran back into town.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Nami-Swan, I got you some chocolate!" Sanji blushed, his eyes (eye) turning into hearts, "Oh, that's so sweet! Thank you Sanji-Kun." Nami took the heart-shaped box and kissed the cook on the cheek.

"Stop that will you? We're in public for goodness sakes." Grumbled Zoro.

"Shh!" said Luffy. "D'you hear something?"

"Yes. You."

"No! Shh! It sounds like someone's calling Sanji's name…" Luffy looked around, Sanji also.

"Me? Who?"

"I don't know!" Luffy said, "I just hear-"

"SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" a voice came up over an arch in the road, and everyone on the street were up against the building walls.

"What in the…" Zoro stared at the dust cloud that was coming nearer and nearer.

"SANJII!" A girl appeared, and charged at the blond cook.

"ACK!" he yelled.

But it was too late for him.

The girl leapt in the air, "GLOMP!" she yelled, tackling him. She hooked her arms around neck like he was giving her a piggyback ride, and practically choked him.

"GACK!" he gasped.

"BIBS! TRY NOT TO KILL HIM KAY?" Skie jumped over the hill, landing on top of Zoro so she was standing on his back.

"GET OFFA ME!" Zoro yelled.

"Get offa me!" yelled Sanji, standing up.

"No way hosay, otherwise you'll hafta deal with my Dad, and he doesn't like it when I'm unhappy." Bibs warned.

Sanji scoffed, "And who's your dad?"

"Shanks, pirate captain!" she glanced up at Luffy, who grinned.

"SHANKS IS HERE?" he yelled.

"WHY IS EVERYONE YELLING TODAY?" yelled Skie.

"I DON'T KNOW WHY EVERYONE IS YELLING TODAY! AND YES, SHANKS IS HERE!" Bibs unnecessarily yelled back to Skie.

"Ears…" whined Sanji.

"Sorry." Said Bibs.

"Will you take us to him?" asked Luffy.

"Yesh."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Shanks was busy playing a round of rock-paper-scissors with several of his crew when they showed up.

"RIGHT! NO, LEFT! WRONG WAY BLONDIE!" yelled Bibs.

Shanks looked up from his game, "A zillion points me, none for you." He grinned at his crew, who looked confused. "Bibs, where are you?" he called, still not able to see her because she was giving Sanji directions through a forest.

Sanji with Bibs on his back emerged first.

"ARG!" Shanks roared, tackling Sanji, "You're too old for my daughter, got that?" he barked, holding him in a headlock with his one arm, Bibs sitting on the ground, watching them.

"DAD! Stop that!" she said, kicking his arm.

Shanks looked up at her, still not letting go of Sanji's neck. "Why?"

"'CUZ! He's my PAL!" she yelled.

"What's going on here?" Zoro said, stepping out of the trees.

Nami walked out next.

"SHANKS!" yelled Luffy, charging out of the trees.

"Wha? Luffy?" Shanks let go of Sanji and stood up.

They stared at each other for a while.

"Oh, please don't make this some mushy-gushy, father-reuniting-with-his-son-but-not-really-his-son type thing." Said Skie, who had suddenly appeared standing on Zoro's back again and sucking all the drama out of the moment (cuz I'm like that).

Luffy stuck his tongue out at Skie.

"You've gotten bigger Anchor." Said Shanks, grinning.

"I'm not an anchor!" Luffy said.

"Yes you are!" the crew said.

"BWA! SHANKS!" Skie glomped him, clinging onto him like Bibs had clung onto Sanji.

"ACK!" he tried to shake her off, but she didn't fall.

"Leggo!" he said.

"No."

"Why?"

"Cuuuzzz."

"That's not an answer!"

"So?"

"So get off?"

"NEVER!"

Shanks sighed, and looked up to see Ben and Lucky crash through the forest, "Captain! We lost her…oh, nevermind. She's right there." Said Lucky, pointing at Bibs.

"How'd you lose her this time?" Shanks asked.

"She ran away." Said Ben.

"Well at least she didn't throw heavy objects at you again."

"Yeah…I still gotta bruise on my head." Said Lucky.

"Shanks!" yelled Luffy.

"Yes?"

"…How are you?"

"How am I? Well, I've got a little kid on my back who won't let go." He said.

"Never gonna." Skie said.

Shanks sighed.

"Well, that's good…and since I haven't seen you in ten years…"

Shanks gasped, "YOUR RIGHT! WE NEED TO CELEBRATE BOYS!" Shanks yelled.

"AYE!" they all replied.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Approximately two hours later._

Just about every guy in the area was drunk, staggering around and singing piratey songs.

Except for Sanji, and the girls of course.

"Can we leave now? I've had three apples hit me in the head so far." Said Sanji.

"I'm with you." Said Nami, and the couple walked out of the clearing together.

"Great." Said Bibs.

"HAY! Wanna see what I can do?" yelled Skie.

"Sure, what?" Bibs looked curious.

Skie stood up…and jumped fifty feet in the air.

"KOWABUNGAAA!" she yelled.

"Look! It's a bird!" Yelled a staggering Shanks.

"It's a plane!" shouted Luffy.

"AUGH!" yelled Zoro as Skie landed on his back again.

"Hey, why are you always right where I land? It's weird."

"Yeah, well you're weird!" Zoro stood up, Skie hopping off his back.

She poked him in the forehead, "Yeah, well maybe you are…um…A MOSS-HEAD!" she said, poking him again.

"Ow. Cut that out. And don't call me a moss-head."

"Moss-Head."

"Stop that."

"Mooossss-Heeaaad."

"Whatchya doin' Skie?" asked Bibs, shoving her way through a group of dancing pirates, "Oh, and by the way, nice jump."

"Yeah, I know. But I was just insulting Moss-Head over here."

"Hey, it's Zoro! Hi Moss-Head."

"HEY!" Zoro yelled.

"Yes?" Bibs asked.

"Stop calling me that!"

"Calling you what?"

"Moss-Head."

"Moss-Head what?"

"Stop calling me it!"

"WHY?"

"Because."

"But that's not an answer silly!"

"Don't call me silly either."

Skie had in impulse. "ZORO IS A PRINCESS WHO LIKES PINK!" her eye twitched. She had been deprived of sugar all day and was getting crazy.

Everyone went quiet and 'oooooh'ed.

"What?" Zoro growled.

"Are you INSANE?" said Bibs.

"Partially, yes." Skie said.

"Crazy and DEAD!" yelled Zoro.

"AUGH! RUN AWAY!" yelled Skie, darting into the crowd.

"Run kid, run!" the pirates cheered.

She jumped up, dodging a tackle from Zoro. "HA!" she yelled down at him.

Zoro moved right where she was going to land, maybe not the smartest move he could've made right there. "I've got you now! I'm gonna tie you to the top of the crow's nest!" he yelled.

"Ha HA!" Skie bounced off his head, streaming up into the sky and crashing into the tall, very tall, trees.

"Get back here!" Zoro yelled, running after her.

"Jeez, they're all nuts." Bibs said, watching Zoro curse and swear as he disappeared into the trees.

"DAD!" she hollered.

"Yes?" Shanks asked, stumbling up in front of her.

"You're drunk again."

"…"

"Yes, you know what that means."

"Aw, come on! Not now! They're all having so much fun!"

"You promised!" Bibs stuck her tongue out and crossed her arms.

"Oh fine. ARG, SEADOGS! LINE UP!" Shanks barked.

His crew obeyed.

"You all know what to do." Shanks mumbled.

"Awwwww, do we have to Miss?" they all whined at once.

"DO IT!" she roared.

They flinched, "Okay, okay!"

_Five minutes later._

Every single pirate in Shank's crew had formed a giant pyramid, Shanks sitting on top.

"There, now you all have to stay up there for the rest of the night. So no moving." Bibs said.

"Awwwww!" they all whined.

"BOUNCY BOUNCY!" yelled Skie, leaping over the tree line.

"AUGH!" the pirates screamed.

KRASH

They toppled over as Skie crashed into the center of the pyramid.

"Oww…" she groaned.

"That was DANG AWESOME!" yelled Bibs.

"GET HER!" one of the pirates yelled, pointing at Skie.

"WHY ME?" she yelled, jumping away.

Zoro ran in, and screeched to a stop, "Where'd she go?" He yelled.

"THAT WAY!" they all answered, charging after her.

"DANG!" Zoro followed the angry mob.

"No way hosay! I ain't being left alone!" Bibs yelled.

Using her TELEKENETIC POWERS (dat means she can move stuff with her mind), she lifted up a log and jumped on it, using it as a kind of hoverboard. And she zoomed off, following her dad's crew and her jumping pal.

"Wait up Skie!" she yelled.

"NO! THEY'LL CATCH MEEE!"

"I'll catch you even if you don't slow down you little psycho!" yelled Zoro.

"YOU CAN'T INSULT ME MOSS-HEAD! BWAHAHA!" she jumped faster, her eye still twitching.

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Remember to read my Harry Potter and One Piece crossover story, kay?

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! and roll.


	13. Amnesia?

**CHAPTER 13**

Finaly. One more chapter. Hey, here's how the updating thing is gonna work out. Since putting five-chapter chunks of the story up every now and then has earned me very few reviews...I'll be putting one chapter up every now and then. So HA!

Oh, and I'd like to thank Thomas Drovin for all of his reviews. He reviewed _once for each chaptah_! Yay! Thanks Thomas! Or Bradley.

**Extra scene** inside while Bibs and Skie are having amnesia attacks! Yay!

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"LUFFY!" Zoro yelled.

"Yes?" he asked. Luffy had decided to run along with the rest of the crew just for fun.

"GET SKIE WILL YA?"

"Why?"

"JUST DO IT!"

"Alright, alright, no need to yell." Luffy looked up ahead, seeing Skie disappear, and reappear as she bounced away. He threw back his arm and shot it forward, grabbing Skie's ankle and yanking her back.

"YAAAARGH!" she yelled.

**SHNAPY SOUND EFFECT**

Luffy yanked her back so hard, he ended up throwing her over everyone's head and in back in the opposite direction.

All of the pirates stopped and watched the tiny dot that was Skie fall towards the ground.

**POOFY KABOOM**

A giant dust cloud went up as she hit.

"ACK!" Luffy yelled, "I KILLED SKIE!"

They all started yelling at Luffy when they heard a yell. Actually, it was more of a roar.

They grew quiet and looked around.

"LUFFYYY!" came two voices at once.

There was a huge trail of dirt flying in the air and was speeding in their direction.

"Oh crud." Said Zoro.

Then both Bibs and Skie pretty much exploded out of the trees and tackled the pirates, somehow knocking them all down.

"I! WILL! CLOBBER! YOU! INTO! THE! DUST!" Yelled Skie, repeatedly bouncing on everyone's head and knocking them out cold.

"AND I SHAL ASSIST!" yelled Bibs using her telekinetic power to throw random objects at the pirates.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_A half hour later…_

Every pirate in the area but Zoro was out cold.

He was up high in a tree, hidden by the unusually thick leaves. "Good grief they're insane!" he said to himself.

"AND WE'RE ALSO NOT DEAF!" yelled Bibs.

"No friggin' duh." Said Skie.

"WHAT?"

"I said…'no…friggin'…duh.'"

"YOU FIEND! YARR!"

Zoro looked down, but of course couldn't see Bibs tackle Skie and watch the epic battle because of the unusually thick leaves. "Dang." He mumbled. "Ah well." He crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back against the tree trunk to take a nap.

_Five minutes later…_

"What were we fighting about?" said Skie.

"I forgot."

"Me too…why are we here?"

"I forgot."

"Me too…who are you?"

"I forgot. Who are you?

"I forgot too…"

"Hmmmm…" they both said.

"Maybe we're aliens!" said Skie.

"Don't be stupid. We're not aliens."

"How do _you_ know?"

"BECAUSE LOOK!" Bibs put her arm out. "My skin's not green!"

"Oh. Okay. Makes sense to me."

"But maybe you're an alien."

"Why?"

"'Cuz your twitchy eye is a sign that your disguise is failing."

Skie's shoulder twitched, "Yeah, I feel funny. Like I have a very strong craving for-"

"MEAT! AUGH! YOU'RE A CANIBAL!"

"No. I was gonna say sugar."

"Oh, that's good."

"WHO SAID MEAT?" both girls screamed in surprise at hearing Luffy's voice. He screeched to a stop into the clearing, looking around at all the knocked out pirates. "Whoa, what happened here?"

They both screamed again, "WE DON'T KNOW!" they both yelled. Then tackled Luffy, pinning his arms to the ground, "Who're you? Huh? HUH?" yelled Bibs.

"I'm Luffy! YOUR Captain!" He yelled at Skie.

"Wha?"

"Get offa me!" he easily lifted up both girls and put them down, standing up. "I am your captain Skie, and I say we go find the rest of the crew and leave, because I wanna go find One Piece to be King of the Pirates."

"Nyaaa?" Bibs cocked her head to the side. "My brain feels all…full."

"WOW! REALLY? Mine to."

"And I'm guessing that doesn't happen a lot." Bibs smirked.

"Shut up…whoever you are."

"ZORO!" Yelled Luffy, snapping his arm into the tree Zoro was in and yanking him down.

"How the heck did you know where I was?" he yelled.

"ZORO! They're acting weird."

"They're always acting weird, now put me down."

"Oh, sorry." Luffy put his first mate down.

"…No, YOU are the alien who knocked out all these guys."

"Nuh-uh! YOU are." Skie stuck her tongue out at Bibs.

"Well nyaa to you to!" They both turned around so their backs were facing each other and crossed their arms. "HMPH!" they both said.

"What's up with you two now?" said Zoro.

"AUGH!" they screamed, "Who're you?" said Skie.

"What do you mean 'who're you?' I'M ZORO!" he yelled.

"Who's Zoro?" said Bibs.

"…you've got to be kidding me." He groaned. "I'm one of your shipmates stupid!" he yelled.

"ZORO!" Sanji yelled, walking into the clearing out of nowhere and kicking Zoro in the side of the head. "DON'T INSULT A LADY! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?" he roared.

"GAH!" both girls screamed again, pointing at Sanji, "WHY DO ALL THESE CUTE BOYS WE DON'T KNOW KEEP APEARING?" They both yelled.

"Don't know? I'm Sanji? Remember?"

"NO!"

"What's going on here?" said Nami, "What happened to them?" she looked at the clearing filled with knocked-out pirates.

"I don't know." Said Sanji.

"WHO'RE YOU?" Yelled Bibs.

"YEAH! WHO'RE YOU?" yelled Skie.

"Nami. Your shipmate." Nami raised an eyebrow.

"Well, obviously, I'm on their ship. I KNEW IT! YOU'RE THE ALIEN!" yelled Skie, pointing at Bibs.

"GASP! What if I AM the alien!" Bibs said, "I'm slightly freaked out."

"You're not the only one." Said Zoro.

"Sounds like they've got amnesia." Said Sanji.

"Wazat?" asked Luffy.

"It means they can't remember anything about who they are. But they seem to still have their personalities…" he said.

"How do you cure amnesia?" asked Nami.

"Well, I've heard that a sharp blow to the head will cure it sometimes, but I won't let that happen of course."

"Too late." Said Zoro, he slammed his sword hilt down on both of their heads.

"BZZT!" yelled Skie, holding her hand up to her mouth like it was a walki-talkie "Calling all units! Calling all units! Requesting backup at four niner niner! BZZT, over."

"BZZT!" said Bibs, doing the same thing with her hand, "Request granted, over."

"ZORO!" Yelled Sanji.

"Well, it's working isn't it?" said Zoro, pointing at them.

"NO IT IS NOT!" roared the cook.

"MY TURN!" yelled Luffy, then he slammed his fist down on their heads.

"…HAIL CEASER! EMPEROR OF ROME!" yelled Bibs.

Skie picked up a bunch of leaves, and quick as a flash fashioned them into a crown and put them on her head, striking a pose.

"Nope." Said Zoro, hitting them with the sword hilt again.

"WHAT THE HECK'S WRONG WITH YOU TWO?" yelled Sanji, thrashing around to get lose from Nami's iron grip.

"Let them at least try to cure Skie and Bibs will ya?" Nami said.

"But-But…"

"BLEARGH!" roared Skie.

"HA!" yelled Bibs. "You didn't say UNO!" (insiders joke. You can never lose to a Zombie at UNO).

**BONK BONK**

"This town ain't big enough for the two of us!"

"HOWDY YA'LL!"

**BONK BONK**

"Meow?"

"ARF ARF ARF!"

"RAOWR! Hissss!"

**BONK BONK**

"LAAAND HO! ARG YA SCURVY SEA DOGS! PREPARE TO ANCHOR!"

"AYE CAPTAIN!"

**BONK BONK**

"Mama Mia!

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

**BONK BONK**

"Scarlet! Straighten up and act more like a lady!"

"My apologies madam!"

**BONK BONK**

"We are the pirates, who don't do anything!"

"We just stay home, and lie around!"

**BONK BONK**

"What about Beauty and the Beast?"

"Blech. I hate that movie."

**BONK BONK**

"My head hurts George."

"Mine too Fred."

**BONK BONK**

"I've got the whole world, in my hands!"

"Shut up will ya?"

**BONK BONK**

"Must be twenty feet long!"

"Twenty five."

"We're gonna need a bigger boat."

**BONK BONK**

"It's Godzilla!"

"AIEEE!"

**BONK BONK**

"Waiter! There's a fly in my soup!"

"OOH! Can I have one too?"

**BONK BONK**

"Hear ye, hear ye! At request of the king, no one shall be allowed to wear the color purple! For it annoys him."

"AWWWWW!"

**BONK BONK**

"UPDATE!"

"I WILL!"

**BONK BONK**

"You fight with the strength of many men sir knight!" Skie said, looking at Bibs, who crossed her arms.

"Ooh. Wait, this one looks interesting." Said Luffy, grabbing Zoro's arm before he could jolt them into another conciousness again.

"..." Bibs didn't say anything.

"I am Aurthur! King of the Britains!"

"..."

"I seek the finest and the bravest knights in the land to join me at my court at Camelot."

"..."

"You make me sad. So be it! Come, Patsy!" Skie started to walk past Bibs.

"Who's Patsy?" whispered Nami.

"None shall pass!" Bibs suddenly yelled.

Skie stopped, "What?"

"None shall pass!" Bibs repeated.

"I have no quarrel with you, good sir knight, but I must cross this bridge!" Skie said firmly.

"Then, you shall die." Bibs said, almost absent-mindedly.

"So be it!" Skie pulled out an invisible sword from an invisible sheath from her invisible belt and held it in front of her as Bibs did the same. They started batling, Skie seeming to easily dodge every slow blow that Bibs threw at her, then, Skie swung her air-sword at Bibs, and her left arm went limp.

Bibs put her arm behind her back.

"I think Skie cut off Bibs' arm..." Nami said.

"GAH!" Luffy and Sanji screamed.

"Not for real you morons!" Nami yelled.

Zoro rolled his eyes.

"Now stand aside, worthy adversary." Skie said.

"Tis but a scratch." Bibs said.

"A SCRATCH? You're arms off!"

"No it isn't!"

"Well what's that then?" Skie asked, pointing at the ground with her invisible sword, obviously pointing at the bloody missing arm that the rest of them couldn't see.

"...I've had worse." Bibs said.

"You lie!"

"Come on, ya pansy!" Bibs once again resumed trying to cut Skie down with her 'sword'. Skie once again was able to easily dodge the blows. Bibs, now getting a bit angry, charged at Skie, her good arm raised above her head. "YAAARGH!" she yelled, then Skie ducked, and swung, and Bibs' last arm went limp as she ran passed Skie.

"Victory is mine!" Skie said to Bibs, who still had her back turned and seemed to be thinking. Skie kneeled down, "We thank the lord, that in thy mercy-"

"HA!" Bibs kicked Skie over. "Come on then!" Bibs said, moving around and kicking Skie again.

"WHAT?" Skie yelled, clearly confused.

"Have at you!" Bibs yelled, kicking Skie again.

"You are indeed brave, sir knight, but the fight is mine!"

"Oooh, had enough aye?" Bibs grinned.

"Look, you stupid bastard, you've got no arms left!" Skie yelled.

"Yes I have!"

"LOOK!"

"It's just a flesh wound!" Bibs kicked Skie again.

"Look, STOP that!"

"Chicken! Chicken!"

"Look, I'll have you're leg!"

Bibs kicked Skie again, seeming to not understand that her two remaining limbs were at stake.

"RIGHT!" Skie swung her arm, and Bibs proceeded to hop around on one leg.

"Right, I'll do you for that!" she said.

"You'll WHAT?"

"Come here!" Bibs started shouldering and attempting to head-but Skie, since that was pretty much the only thing she could do.

Skie sighed, "What are you gonna do, bleed on me?" she growled in annoyance.

"I'm INVINCIBLE!" Bibs yelled.

"You're a loony." Skie said.

"The black knight always triumphs! Have at you!" Bibs shouted.

Skie, now highly annoyed, swung her other arm and Bibs fell onto her knees. She looked down at her 'decapitated' limbs. "...Alright! We'll call it a draw!" she said.

Skie shrugged, "Come Patsy!" she said before heading passed Bibs.

"Oh, oh! I see! Running away, eh? You yellow bastards! Come back here and take what's coming to ya! I'll bite your legs off!"

Zoro, although he was enjoying himself (although wished that their parts were reversed) finaly decided to finish this up so he could go and take a nap.

**BONK BONK**

"SUUUGAARR!"

"What the heck? Where am I?"

"Hold it, I think that's them." Said Nami. "Skie? Bibs? That you?"

"Yesh?" they both asked at once.

"YAY! WE GOT OUR CREW BACK!" yelled Luffy.

"Hoo-ray." Said Zoro flatly.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Everyone was getting ready to set sail, everyone but Skie and Luffy were on board.

"I'm gonna miss ya Anchor." Said Shanks.

"Don't call me that!" said Luffy. "I'm a pirate now!"

"Sure you are kid, sure you are." Sanji grinned at Luffy's animal-growl reply.

"DAD! You're embarrassing me!" said Bibs.

"Sorry." Shanks grinned and backed up.

"Bibs, I need an idea on what to do to Zoro. I already told you all the stuff I did to him already right?" Skie whispered so only Bibs could hear her.

"Yeah…" said Bibs.

"Well, got any?"

"Actually, yes. Here." She took some stuff out of her pockets.

"Use these on his face. He'll go…more than insane so I suggest preparing yourself a good hiding spot for when he realizes what you did." Bibs handed her the items.

"…You're evil. Cool." She put the stuff in her pockets and grinned.

"See ya whenever I wake up." Skie hugged her friend and jumped on board, landing on Zoro.

"GAH! GET OFF!" he yelled.

Skie stepped off him and went over to the edge of the boat, jumping up and down and waving like a maniac, "BYE BIBS!"

"BYEE SKIE!" she waved back.

Once the ship had lost sight of the island, Skie pretended she was tired and went to her room.

"Another island, and another crazy person." Said Nami.

"Who'll be on the next island?" Usopp wondered aloud.

"I don't want to find out." Said Zoro.

And they all went to their own rooms.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Inside Skie's room…

She took out the items Bibs had given her, "Muahahahahahaha!" she laughed.

"WHAT ARE YOU UP TO NOW?" came Zoro's voice.

"NOTHING YOU NOSY, GREEN-HAIRED WEIRDO! LEEMIE ALONE!" she grinned down at the stuff in her hands and waited for everyone to fall asleep.

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**MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL**! If you havn't seen it. Go watch it. Seriously, greatest movie on earth.

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK!** and roll. Until next update! Adios!

_And I might add more extra scenes like that as I go through...you never know. It's like a new update with each old update! Yay!_


	14. Pink Zoro and the Dynamic Duo

**Chapter 14**

Another update! Everybody freak out! dun dun DUN! -starts dancin' like Django-

**Skie**: W00t! Backwards moonwalk!

**Django**: copycat...no pun intended.

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It was a little past midnight, and Skie could clearly hear the ear-blasting snores from the other side of the ship. "Good grief their friggin' loud." She whispered to herself.

Skie stood up, taking the armful of items that had been given to her by Bibs, and snuck over to the men's quarters. She slowly opened the door, thankful it didn't creak, and looked around.

"Snore…Naminaminami…Snore…Naminaminami…" Skie smirked as she heard Sanji in his sleep.'_talk about obsessed, jeez!_' she thought. She glanced at Zoro, who had his arms crossed over his chest and his mouth hanging wide open.

Usopp was gone, probably asleep up in the crow's nest on 'watch duty'. And Luffy was dreaming about meat. Skie could tell because he had said the word 'meat' at least two times since she had first walked in.

She stepped over to Zoro and flicked him in the forehead and ducked down, just to test and make sure he was un-wakable.

The swordsman didn't stir.

Skie grinned and stood up, taking a small bottle out of the pile of stuff…

Xxxxxxxxxxx

She sighed and stepped out of the men's quarters, an eeevil smile on her face. She had a handful of empty bottles and wrappers, such as paint, fake eyelashes, super-glue, and some 'girly-girl' waterproof tattoos. She quietly walked across the deck and into her room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Phew." She sighed, grinning.

Skie yawned and put the empty bottles and wrappers under her mattress until she could find a place to throw them away where none of her crew would see them.

She looked around her room for a place to hide, just in case Zoro woke up a bit earlier than she did, and decided on a little shelf just above the door. It was the perfect size for her two, about two feet wide. What a two food wide shelf was doing above the door, you'll never know.

So she grabbed a pillow and a blanket and easily jumped up to the shelf, getting comfortable, and falling asleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning, Zoro groggily sat up and rubbed his eyes, freezing when he found his eyelashes had become quite prickly…and a bit longer. "What the heck?" he took his hands from his eyes and fell off his bed in shock. "GLITTER?" he yelled.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Everyone was in the kitchen, except for Skie who decided to sleep in (and had to shoo Sanji away several times), and they were having a very large breakfast of pancakes. Nami had asked Sanji for a pancake, and ended up getting enough to feed an army. Luckily, Luffy ate like he was an army.

"GLITTER?" Zoro's voice shattered the peace and quiet of their breakfast.

"Oi, crap-swordsman, why the heck are you pink?" Sanji smirked when Zoro stomped through the door. The air practically buzzed with his anger.

Nami gagged on her lemonade when she saw his face, and Sanji hovered right next to her, repeatedly asking her if she needed mouth-to-mouth.

Luffy and Usopp both just burst out laughing, falling out of their chairs and clutching their stomachs.

Zoro's face…was a funny sight. He had pink paint on his cheeks, making him look like a creepy (and freakishly-angry) looking doll. Fake eyelashes that were about an inch long. Glitter eyeliner, a butterfly tattoo on his forehead and both cheeks next to the pink paint, and even more glitter on his cheeks. His hair, was also painted pink.

"WHERE IS SHE?" he roared, shaking the entire ship.

"Where is who?" asked Nami, after she caught her breath and Sanji was hugging her like she was a stuffed animal, a huge happy smile on his face.

"You know DARN well who!" he yelled, vibrating the ship again.

"We honestly don't know what you're talking about." Sanji lied happily.

"LUFFY! Where's Skie?" Zoro bared his teeth down at Luffy.

"Skie? Oh, she's hiding." Luffy said.

"LUFFY!" The rest of the crew shouted.

Zoro grinned and slammed the door behind him.

"Luffy! Why did you tell Zoro Skie was hiding?" demanded Nami.

"Augh! You've upset my Nami-Swan!" Sanji yelled, "And you've betrayed Skie-Chan!" he yelled. (OMG! SANJI CALLED ME 'CHAN'! BWEEE!)

"Well it's true!" Luffy defended.

"You still coulda defended out psycho friend!" said Usopp.

"Well, _sorry_!" Luffy huffed.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Zoro had searched every inch of the ship he could think of. The crow's nest, the storerooms, Nami's room (although he didn't get to look long because Sanji literally kicked him out), the kitchen, and the men's quarters.

"Gah! Where is she?" he yelled in frustration. A pink Zoro looks funny when he's frustrated. Just picture that for a second kay? Ha…haha…it's like Bon Clay…ha.

A light bulb went off in Zoro's brain. "Skiiiie…" he called in a singsong voice (like in da creepy horror movies) "I know where you're hiiiidiiing…" he called, and kicked open her door. "I'm going to tie you to a piece of wood and throw you overboard!" he threatened, looking around.

Skie slowly brought her blanket over her head, frozen with adrenaline. She couldn't help it, she giggled, but caught herself and held her breath.

Zoro's ear twitched. He turned around and looked up, seeing the Skie-shaped blanket-covered figure on the shelf. He raised an eyebrow and poked it. "eeep!" said the lump.

Zoro yanked the blanket off, and went to grab her, but she hissed like a cat and tackled him.

"ACK!" he yelled, hitting the ground.

Skie bounced off him and jumped on top of a bookshelf. "Nya nya!" she yelled, grinning.

"You little brat! You're dead!" he yelled, leaping at her.

She jumped at him, bounced off his head, and landed back on the shelf.

He face-planted the floor. "Ung…" he groaned, standing up. He turned around slowly, his eyes flashing. "YARGH!" he jumped forward faster than she anticipated and grabbed her ankle.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

**CRASH**

"OW! LEGGO!"

"You turned me into a doll! A DOLL!"

"I SAID LEGGO!"

"AUGH! You little savage! YOU BIT ME!"

**CRASH CRASH**

"Dangit! GET BACK HERE!"

"ACK! PUT ME DOWN!"

The rest of the crew looked outside to see Zoro dragging Skie out of her room by her ankles, she was on her stomach and had her nails embedded into the floor, leaving deep claw-marks in the wood.

"Noooo! Leggo ape!" she yelled.

"Oi, that's no way to treat a lady." Sanji growled.

"Stay outta this love-cook." Barked Zoro.

"Gwaaah!" Skie whined.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

A minute later, Skie was hanging from the crow's nest, a cocoon of rope around her arms and legs, and she was laughing. "Y-your face! It's sooo funny! AHH HA HA HAAH!" she cried, laughing like a maniac.

"Yeah, keep laughing." Said Zoro. He had a bucket of water and was trying to get all the stuff off. So far, he had been able to get the paint out of his hair, and the eyelashes off.

"Skie-Chan! Don't worry, I'll get you down." Sanji called.

"Oh no you won't!" growled Zoro, standing up and getting in Sanji's way. "She's staying like this until I think she's learned her lesson." He said.

"Lesson or not, your mistreating a girl." Sanji said menacingly.

"AIEEE! HE CALLED ME SKIE-CHAN!" Skie squealed.

"Listen you, she isn't coming down. Got that?" Zoro jabbed Sanji in the chest.

"No, sadly I don't." Sanji jabbed Zoro back.

"You wanna make something of it?" Zoro asked.

"I beg your miniscule pardon?"

"You wanna fight?"

"Fine by me!" Sanji tackled Zoro, and a huge dust-ball fight took place.

"Go Sanji-Chan!" yelled Skie.

Luffy, Usopp, and Nami came out to watch. Luffy cheered for Zoro, Nami for Sanji, and Usopp cheered for 'whoever wins!'.

"Oh, nice. Forget all about me why don't you?" she said after the fight had been going on for about a half hour. And the dust-ball-fight still was going strong.

"SKIE! WE'RE COMING TO THE RESCUE!" two young-sounding voices yelled from out of nowhere.

"What the hey?" said Skie.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked around, Sanji and Zoro stopping their fight in mid-punch/kick. "Who's there?" called Usopp, who was shaking and hiding behind Luffy.

"AUGH! Something's coming from the sky! Two of 'em! What are they?" yelled Luffy, pointing up at the sky.

"What? I can't see!" said Usopp.

"That's because you're hiding behind Luffy." Said Nami.

Two silhouetted figures landed on the rim of the crow's nest. "Don't worry Skie," They said, "We'll cut you lose." Said one of them.

"Whadaya mean 'cut me lose'? I'll hit the floor, and then I'll die." Skie said, "Anyways, who the hey are you?" she squirmed around and tried to get a better look at who was talking.

"Hold on Cally! Look, those two have been fighting! Request permission to stop them!"

"Gasp! Roger that Synderz. Dive bomb in at thirty degrees!"

"Roger that Cally."

"What?" said both Sanji and Zoro at the same time.

"CHARGE!" and the two small figures crashed into Zoro and Sanji.

"Ow!" they both cried, landing on their stomachs with the creatures on them. "What the heck? Get offa me you…hairball?" Zoro looked over his shoulder, confused.

"Awww! They're so cute!" said Nami.

"Synderz, it appears we have gained the attention of these humans." Said young, thin, calico cat. Who was Cally

"So it seems Cally." Said a young, round (fat) gray cat. "Request permission to act cute and get tuna?" asked Synderz.

"Denied, we still have Skie to rescue." Said the Cally. "What fiend tied her up like that?"

"Zoro." Said everyone, pointing at the green-haired swordsman with the fat-cat on his back.

"We'll deal with you later." Said Synderz, smacking Zoro on the back of the head with her paw.

They both took off like jets and hooked onto Skie's rope-cocoon. "Cally! Synderz! Holy guacamole! You can TALK!" Skie said happily.

"Affirmative. Now hold still while I cut you lose." Said Synderz.

"Hey wait! AHHH!" Skie slipped lose of the ropes, landing on Zoro's back as she fell.

He wheezed as all the air rushed out of his lungs.

"Oops? Heh…AHH!" she ran and hid behind Sanji, who had stood up and was brushing himself off. Zoro growled and stood up, coughing.

"I'll get you for that." Said Zoro.

"Not if we can help it! Synderz! Dive! Dive!" And Zoro was tackled by two raging hairballs.

"AUGH!" Zoro fell over with two adorable little three-year old cats latched onto his shirt. (in cat years, they're twelve)

"Ho man, I'm sorry Zoro, but that is just dang funny. The demon of the seas being overwhelmed by two kittens." Laughed Nami.

Zoro grabbed both cats off his back by the scruff and held them in the air away from them, where they hissed and squirmed. "Ha! Gotchya!" he laughed.

"Put us down human!" yelled Synderz.

"You'll be sorry you messed with us!" said Cally.

"And why's that?" Zoro asked, not intimidated.

"Because we've got a very protective owner." Synderz grinned.

"YARG! UNHAND THOSE KITTENS MOSS-HEAD!" Skie roared, tackling Zoro. He let go of the cats and tried to pry Skie off his arm.

"Agh! Get off! You're like a leech!" he said shaking his arm up and down violently.

"Gwaah…dizzy…" Skie said with swirlies in her eyes. "Gnnnn…Need…sugar…missed…breakfast…"

**THUMP**

She hit the floor, fast asleep.

"Mrawr!" meowed Cally, prancing over to Skie and sitting on her chest, "My fabulous owner appears to be hungry. I suggest you feed her unless you want to wake up with Synderz asleep on your face. And she sheds."

Synderz grinned toothily.

"Like we wouldn't feed her! Zoro was just being an idiot. Sanji-kun? Pick her up will you? Bring her into the kitchen ok? Obviously her body can't handle being away from sugar for too long." Said Nami.

Sanji picked Skie up and carried her to the kitchen, putting her on the bench and waking her up. "Skie-Chan? I'm going to make you some food now ok?" he smiled.

"Yesha." Skie nodded, then yawned and her head hit the table and she was asleep again. She had been so dang excited and all hyped on adrenaline that she could NOT get to sleep. Poor her. Now she has to eat a specially-made breakfast made by the adorable Sanji.

"Oh, of course you can have some tuna!" said Usopp, walking in with Synderz on his shoulder. "You're just so cute!"

"Cally, the cuteness has taken effect, over."

"Roger that Synderz." Said Cally, who was on Luffy's shoulder.

"But, but, but…isn't tuna meat?" Luffy asked Cally.

"No, no silly! Tuna is fish!"

"Ooooh! It all makes sense now!" Luffy nodded.

"This one seams a bit dim-witted Synderz. Keep a note on that."

"Roger that." Said Synderz, staring up at Usopp who was opening her a can of tuna.

"Great. Two more psychos on board and they're not even human!" said Zoro grumpily

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If ya read the chapter. Review please. -puppy eyes-

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! and roll. Because dey both rock!


	15. Sugar Loss Mood Swings

**Chapter 15**

OMG! This chapter made me laugh. Nya ha! GO DYNAMIC DUO! They rock. My cats really do rock.

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Synderz and Cally were enjoying their tuna on top of a crate in the corner of the room.

Skie was still sleeping, her arms crossed around her head.

"If we give her sugar, she's just going to get all insane again." Said Zoro.

"Zoro's right, maybe we should decrease her sugar intake. Sanji? How does that sound?" asked Nami.

"Whatever my Nami-Swan says!" he purred, and he started fixing up Skie's food.

They all turned to look at the cats, who were laughing maniacally.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Usopp.

Synderz suddenly turned serious, "That's a bad idea…keeping Skie from sugar…" she said menacingly.

"Very bad idea…" whispered Cally, grinning just right so she looked like some kind of cat-demon. "When she changes…expect a change from us as well…"

"You'll regreeeet iiiiiit…" said Synderz in sing-song voice. Then they glided down from the crate and onto the floor, heading for the door.

Cally looked back at the startled crew before she exited, "Watch your backs…" she smiled and then Cally and Synderz walked out of the kitchen laughing again.

"…" everyone looked officially creeped out. Especially Usopp, but that's because he's a big chicken.

"Well…that was creepy." Said Luffy.

"I still think it's a good idea." Said Zoro.

"Me too." Said Usopp.

Everyone agreed that keeping sugar from Skie was a good idea. Hoping that being deprived of the thing that fueled her hyperactive self, would calm her down.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

When Skie woke up, she was alone in the kitchen. The only thing in the kitchen with her was a plate with a bunch of different foods on it. She raised an eyebrow. They looked weird. There was an orange apple, and a green orange, a blue banana, a purple strawberry…just a bunch of really odd colored fruits. "Hmmm…Oh well." And she started eating.

The odd-fruit was gone in a matter of minutes, and she put her plate in the sink, and walked out of the kitchen.

She found her crewmates doing what they would normally be doing on a nice day. Zoro was working out, Sanji was staring at Nami, Nami was sun-tanning while reading the newspaper, and Luffy was talking with Usopp while he worked on different weapons for his slingshot.

"HI EVERYBODY!" she yelled, startling everyone.

"Hi Skie…" said Nami. "You feeling better?"

"Oh yes. I feel loads better. But I'd like to ask you something…" her voice sounded very creepy. Well, it wouldn't be creepy if you'd just met her, but it was creepy for them because she sounded calm.

"What is it?" asked Sanji.

"Why were there only fruit on my plate and…why were they all messed up color-wise?" she asked.

"They were actually vitamins." Said Nami, "Got a couple of bottles of them. You put water on them, and 'poof' decolorized fruit."

"Ah…" Skie nodded. She looked around. "Where are Cally and Synderz?" she asked.

"They…I don't know. They kind of disappeared." Said Luffy.

"Oh, Ok."

"Here we are!" they said in unison, landing next to her after coming out of the sky from pretty much no where.

"Skie? Request permission to use the green-haired one as a scratching post?" asked Synderz, eyeing the swordsman.

"But you don't have claws on your front paws!" said Skie, sounding a bit like her normal self again.

"Synderz, denied." Said Cally, "Skie is right. But don't worry. Her answer for that question might change in a day or two…" Cally grinned.

"…Is it just me? Or have you two gotten evil?" Skie asked.

"…Um…It's you. It's aaalll you." Synderz said, then pranced off, Cally following her.

"They're creepy." Said Skie.

Everyone looked at her as if she was a time bomb, but they didn't know what KIND of time bomb…whatever that means.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

The day passed and it was quiet uneventful, other then a couple more creepy sayings from the Dynamic Duo, who seemed to be losing their little army streak, and were getting more aggressive by the minute.

Skie seemed normal, she was her regular crazy, insane, unpredictable self.

"Guess the sugar thing didn't work." Said Zoro to Luffy, shrugging.

"Whaaat sugar thing?" sang Skie, who had been sitting on the railing of the ship. It was dark and they hadn't noticed her.

"Nothing." They both said quickly.

"Oookaaay…" she sang happily without turning around.

"…" they both pretty much sprinted into the men's quarters and closed the door behind them. "She is creepy. We gave her some healthy sugar-free stuff for lunch and she's just getting weirder!" said Zoro.

"Maybe that's a good thing?" said Usopp.

"Yeah…maybe…" Zoro shrugged and went to bed, everyone else doing the same.

Skie was still outside after everyone was asleep. "I feel weird…" she yawned, "They told me there was sugar in that food…but…I dunno…" she said sleepily. She turned her head absent-mindedly towards her room and walked there like she was in a trance.

When she stepped into her room, Cally and Synderz were asleep on the foot of her bed, "Hello." She said, then went to bed herself.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

The next morning, Skie woke up feeling a bit angry for some reason. Cally and Synderz were still asleep on the foot of her bed as she stomped out of her room and into the kitchen.

"Gimme some food." She growled, sitting down.

Everyone stared at her, looking confused.

"NOW!" she barked, startling everyone.

Sanji quickly made a large breakfast, and put it on the table.

Skie grabbed Sanji by the collar "Izare (is there) sugar on this?" she growled angrily, pointing at the food on her plate.

He just nodded.

"Good." She growled, and let go of his collar, shoving him back, and ate her food quickly. She stood up without taking her plate to the sink, like she would normally do, and stormed out of the kitchen.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Usopp, who was shaking.

"I don't know. Maybe she figured out we're not giving any more sugar to her and she's angry." Said Nami.

"No, I think she's sick." Said Sanji. "She seemed a bit…I don't know, off?" he said.

"Isn't that regular for her though?" said Zoro.

"But not in a violent way." Said Nami.

"Maybe we should start giving her sugar again." Suggested Usopp.

"No way. Maybe these are just withdrawal symptoms." Said Zoro. "It'll get better later on. Trust me." He said.

Just then, Skie charged back in wailing and screaming. She tackled Luffy and hugged him, practically breaking his ribcage.

"Erk…Skie…gasp…what's wrong?" Luffy gasped.

"I-sob-I…I squished a buug!" she bawled, soaking Luffy's shirt.

"Just a bug? That's not so bad." Said Zoro.

"But I kiiiilled it!" she cried.

"Zoro! You're just making her feel worse!" said Nami, slapping him in the back of the head.

"Ow!" he yelled, glaring at her.

"There, there, it's okay." Luffy patted Skie on the head, who was still crushing his lungs.

Usopp and Sanji just stared at her, their eyes wide open.

Skie suddenly stood up, "Good morning everyone!" she said cheerfully, her tears for the dead bug already gone. "How are you? Good? That's just wonderful!" she said, then gave Zoro a bear hug.

"Eeergh!" he wheezed.

Skie put him down and skipped joyfully out of the kitchen, humming.

"Sugar?" asked Nami.

"Yeah…" Zoro said, "Let's give her the sugar."

"Um…do you mean right now?" asked Luffy, looking up at them sheepishly.

"Why are you asking?" asked Usopp.

"Um…I kind of…dumped all the sugar overboard." He said.

"YOU WHAT?" they all roared at their captain.

"YOU DUMPED THE SUGAR?" roared Sanji, shaking Luffy by the shoulders, "WHYYY?"

"Because you guys said Skie was never to have sugar again!" Luffy said, his voice sounding weird because of the shaking.

"BUT YOU DUMPED IT OVERBOARD?" yelled Usopp.

"Yes."

"Now what are we going to do about Skie? She'll just get worse!" said Nami.

"Don't worry, we'll think of something…how long until the next island?" asked Sanji.

"A week." She said, putting her head in her hands.

"A WEEK?" said Zoro, "Dang it."

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

"La la la! Hello seagull! How are you?" said Skie. "Hello floor, how are you today? Hello cloud! How are you? Hello crow's nest! Hello rope! Hello door! Hello wall! Hello Cally! Hello Synderz!" Skie stopped and pet her two cats, who started purring.

"Hey, have you two grown?" she asked cheerfully.

The two animals, had indeed, grown much bigger. They were now wolf-sized, and had long, cruel-looking sharp claws on their front paws.

"Yes, we have!" said Synderz happily.

"Affirmative!" said Cally, rubbing up against Skie's leg.

"Awww! Good for you! I'm glad your getting strooonger!" sang Skie, who then skipped off merrily.

"…and your saying we should lock her in her roo-HOLY CRUD!" yelled Zoro, who was stepping out of the kitchen and spotted the two gynormous kitties.

"Hello green-haired one!" Said Synderz cheerfully.

"Yes, hello!" said Cally in the same tone.

The crew walked out of the kitchen, each of them crying out in surprise at what they saw.

"Don't make out owner unhappy!" said Synderz, still in the cheerful tone.

"Because our mood matches hers when she's like this!" sang Cally.

"When she's like what?" asked Sanji.

"When she hasn't had sugar! Her mind reaches out and connects to people close to her, from the other world of course. When we first came here, it wasn't because she was sugar-low. It was because we were sleeping, and came here for some reason I am not aware of. But then we were drawn to her." Said Synderz.

"Yes, drawn to her. Because she needed out help. Lucky for you though, she can only reach out to animals." Nodded Synderz.

"Okay. I'll pretend I understood that and nod." Luffy nodded.

"And watch out." Said Synderz, "When she gets angry, our adrenaline rises and we grow stronger. And just grow in general."

"Yup!" Cally said happily. "Now, if you excuse us! We're gonna go eat!" she said, then skipped like a cat would into the kitchen, Synderz following her.

"They don't sound like officer-kitties anymore. Did you notice that?" said Usopp.

"Maybe because Skie doesn't have that personality." Said Sanji.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

The first two days were okay, but her strange mood swings freaked everyone out. One minute she'd be all happy, the next she'd be all moapy.

On the third day, was when another anger-mood struck.

Skie was sitting up in the crow's nest, humming the tune of 'in the hall of the mountain king', when she suddenly turned angry at the fact that the Skie was not blue enough for her taste.

She roared and leapt down from the top of the crow's nest, predictably landing on Zoro and sending him crashing to the ground.

"Oww…" he groaned.

Skie growled like an enraged wild animal and stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her.

It was dead quiet, everyone had been outside doing the daily-normal, and were staring at the door.

Usopp sighed, "Well, at least she's calmed dow-"

The door of her room swung open and she stalked out with her staff, her two tiger-sized cats on either side.

"YOU!" she roared, glaring at Zoro and storming towards him.

"What?" he said, sitting up and watching her.

"YOUR HAIR BOTHERS ME!" She yelled, then slammed the staff on top of Zoro's head, sending him crashing into the floor once again.

Her cats roared, sounding like the tigers they looked like, and clawed the ground.

Skie suddenly dropped the staff and twitched. "Klak, klak, klak, klak, klak…" she said over and over again, a wide grin on her face.

"What?" asked Luffy, poking her.

"HIIIIIIIIII Luffy!" she said, hugging him.

"RIBS!" he cried.

Cally and Synderz meowed happily and purred.

"I think Skie's broken." Luffy wheezed.

"NO DUH!" said Sanji and Nami at the same time.

"SANJI!" Skie yelled, crashing into Sanji and giving him a ribcage-busting bear hug as well.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow," he repeated.

"NAMI!" Skie hugged Nami.

"USOPP!" Skie hugged Usopp.

"ZORO!" Skie tackled Zoro, who had just stood up and was rubbing his head.

"Augh!" He yelled.

Skie let go then ran towards her room, then crashed into the door frame and spun around, "Heh heh….wheeee…" she laughed, twirling around with anime swirlies in her eyes.

Then she froze and turned around to look at her crew, a mischievous look in her eye. "Muwa ha ha ha ha haaa!" then she ran off, disappearing at the other side of the ship.

They all looked at Cally and Synderz to see what Skie was feeling.

Cally stepped behind Zoro, and Synderz shoved the swordsman backwards, causing him to trip over the cat behind him and fall to the ground. "OW!" He yelled.

"Uh-oh…" said Nami, looking around for Skie.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Dun dun…(imagine the jaws theme song)

Dun dun…

Skie had been missing for an hour now. They couldn't find Skie anywhere, and Cally and Synderz continued to pull all kinds of annoying (but cute) pranks.

Dun dun, dun dun, dun dun…

The crew was sitting in a circle around the mast, their backs to it so they could see in every direction.

"Okay, when you see her, throw the net on her." Said Zoro, "Got it?"

"Got it." They answered.

Dun dun, dun dun, dun dun…

"Where is she?" whispered Usopp.

"SHH!" said Luffy.

"Raaawwrrrr!" sang Synderz and Cally.

DUN DUN, DUN DUN, DUN DUN…

"I can't handle the suspense!" said Usopp. "I have to get outta here!" he yelled, then jumped to his feet and disappeared into the kitchen.

"AIEEEEE!" came his scream.

Everyone got up and ran into the kitchen, seeing Usopp tied up and sitting on a silver platter with an apple in his mouth.

"Dang it Usopp! Get your butt of my dishes!" Yelled Sanji, kicking Usopp to the ground.

"Mff rrrm rrmnk rmmm onf!" Translation? (But I didn't do it!)

They looked around, but there was no sign of Skie.

"MWA HA HA HA HA HAAAH!" they ran outside to find the source of her maniacal laughter, but she wasn't anywhere in sight.

DUN DUN, DUN DUN, DUN DUN…

They all looked around nervously, "Where is that psycho?" said Zoro through clenched teeth.

"This is feels like Halloween!" said Luffy.

"But it ain't Halloween!" said Sanji.

DUN DUN, DUN DUN, DUN DUN,

"RAZZLE FRAZZLE!"

Everyone screamed at the voice above them. And looked up to see Skie hanging upside down by a rope.

"What are you doing!" yelled Zoro, jumping up and trying to grab her.

"Just you know…hangin' around…" she grinned at them toothily.

"You're like an imp you know that?" Zoro growled.

Skie whistled and out of the shadows (because it was dark then) leapt the tiger-sized Cally and Synderz, making Nami and Usopp scream in fright.

They tackled Zoro and pinned him down, so that he was right under Skie.

"Hey Zooorooo…" she sang.

"WHAT?" he barked.

She made that really disgusting sound you make when your getting ready to spit.

"No…no, don't you DARE!" he yelled, squirming.

"Oh, gross," said Nami.

SPLAK

"GYAAAAAA!" Zoro yelled throwing the cats off of him and wiping his face repeatedly.

Skie laughed evily, then felt something grab her ankle. "EH?" She looked up to see Sanji.

"Sorry 'bout this." He said, then tied her up, having some trouble since she attempted to bite him several times.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

After they had managed to fight the cats back into Skie's room and bar the door, and had put Skie in Nami's room so that the three were apart, they all relaxed a bit.

"Finally." Said Zoro. "She's not lose."

"ISLAND!" Luffy's voice came from the front of the ship. "THERE'S AN ISLAND OVER THERE!"

"Really? I must have missed that one on my maps! Head straight for that island!" she commanded, and the crew obeyed.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Lucky for them, the island was inhabited. They took Skie out of Nami's room and into the town, put her down a table, freed her arms, and put a large cake in front of her.

Her eyes widened and she basically dove into the cake, tearing it apart and leaving not a single shred of proof that there was ever a cake on her plate.

Everyone leaned forward to see how she would react.

"Ugh…That was dang awesome!" she cheered. "Thanks guys! What was that for?"

"Um…you needed that." Said Nami.

"Needed what?"

"Sugar." Said Usopp.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because you went nuts." Said Zoro.

"I did? When?"

Sanji sighed, "Let me guess, you don't remember what happened these past few days huh?"

"I remember…I remember Zoro shaking me around when I wouldn't let go of his arm because he was bein' mean to my kittes!" she said, eyeing Zoro. "In fact…" she looked around, "Where are my kitties?"

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

They tried to stop her, but couldn't keep her from jumping off at full speed to the ship to set her tiger-sized cats go.

Luffy's arm shot passed her, barely missing. "CUT THAT OUT WILL YA? I JUST WANT TO SEE CALLY AND SYNDERZ!" she yelled behind her.

"THEY'LL EAT YOU!" yelled Usopp.

"pfft! Right." Skie said.

She landed on the ship and walked over to her room, just as the rest of the crew ran onto the ship.

She opened the doors, and the crew yelled.

"Hello Skie!" said Cally, back to her normal size. She walked out of Skie's room and stretched in the sunlight. "Ahh! Feels good to be out of there. Doesn't it Synderz?" she said, looking back at the door.

"Affirmative!" said Synderz as she walked out of Skie's room, also back to her regular fat-cat self. She licked one of her paws and started cleaning her face, also enjoying the sunlight.

"What a relief!" said Nami, "I thought they'd still be monsters!"

"Monster? WHERE?" yelled Usopp, running off.

"Us? Monsters? Why on earth would you think that?" asked Cally.

"Well…Ugh…You don't remember either?" Nami asked.

"Remember what?" asked Synderz.

"Nothing." Smiled Nami.

"Skie? Request permission to wake up? I hear your dad shaking the food container…" asked Synderz, looking hungry.

"What am I supposed to say to that?" Skie asked Cally.

"Well, if you want to say yes, say 'granted, if you want to say 'no', say 'denied'."

"Granted!" Skie said.

"Thanks. See you later Skie! Cally! Orders from Amber to hurry up." And Synderz vanished.

"Ah, Ambers calling me. Skie? Request permission to wake up?"

"Granted." Skie said.

"Cool. I'll see you later Skie." Cally glanced at Zoro, "Only I regret not punishing you…" she said, narrowing her eyes. "Now if you excuse me, I have orders that must be obeyed. Because I'm hungry. Good bye!" And Cally vanished.

"Okay then." Nami sighed.

"Finally, back to one Psycho." Zoro said, then glared at Skie, "I'll get you back Skie. Mark my words…" he growled.

"What'd I DO?" she yelled.

"Zoro, she doesn't remember." Said Usopp.

"…You got off this time." Zoro huffed and walked off, probably to go take a nap. He needed one. Dang grouch.

"Sanji?" Nami asked.

"Yes my angel?" he asked.

"Go buy us some groceries alright? Don't forget the sugar." She said.

"Yes ma'am!" he said, then ran off like a happy little bunny.

"So…what've I been doing the past few days?" asked Skie.

"Um…" said Nami.

"I suggest, we don't say anything about it." Said Usopp.

"Good suggestion!" said Luffy.

"Oh fine. BE that way." Pouted Skie.

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I'm so annoying -evil grin-

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! and roll!

And ran makes applesauce!


	16. Over Active Imagination

**Chapter 16**

I was listening to a bunch of really cool One Piece songs (I made ya a CD Bibs...SAY THANK YOU) and my all-time fav is called Sea Moon See You. Sung by Sanji as a kid. It's really pretty, and sounds like a lullaby. And it's pretty dang awesome by the way. I'll put it on my site later

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_Two days after the…_sugar incident_, as the Straw Hats fearfully called it…_

**_SKIE'S POV_**

"SKIE-CHAAAAN!" Sanji called angrily.

"Whut?" I called down from the crow's nest.

"WHY?" He asked, glaring up at me, "Was there a FROG in the soup? HUH?"

How the heck should I know? I was sitting up here minding my own business, daydreaming about who knows what, and the swirly-curly eyebrow cutie starts yelling at me about frogs. "I don't know." I said simply.

"I bet you do!" he said, shaking a finger at me.

"Well that shows what you know!" I said, sticking my tongue out at him and disappearing back into the crow's nest and out of his sight.

"Dangit Skie!" I heard him stomp off.

I didn't do nothin' with no stupid frog. I hate frogs. They're nasty. You know? I could really go for some cheesy fries right now…from Beefaroo…mmmm…Jeez, why does my mind wander like that so dang much? Oh well…

"SKIE!" yelled Usopp.

"WHAT?" I yelled, looking at him from over the crow's nest.

"Have you seen my pet frog?"

EH?

"EH?" I ask.

"Have you seen Hoppity?" he asked again.

Hoppity? Gawd. What's wrong with this kid? "No, I have not seen…Hoppity…" I said the name, trying not to laugh. But failed and fell backwards into the crow's nest, rolling around and laughing.

"What're you laughing at?" I turned to see Nami looking at me from the opposite side of the crow's nest. She must have climbed up while I was talking to Usopp.

"Usopp has a frog. Its name is Hoppity." I started laughing again.

Nami just grinned and climbed back down the ladder, leaving me to my fit of hysteria. Then, something clicked in my brain, because I guess it takes a while for some things to click in my brain. HOPPITY IS IN DA SOUP!

"USOPP!" I yelled.

"Wh-WHAT?" he yelled back.

"Usopp! SANJI KNOWS WHERE HOPPITY IS!" I yelled, sliding down the ladder. Ow, ow ow…SPLINTER!

As I'm attempting to get the painful chunk of wood out of my hand, Usopp went into the kitchen. I heard them talk for a while and then heard Usopp scream, "YOU ATE HIM?" I literally fell over.

"Well, yeah. Ever had frog-legs? They're good." Sanji's voice came through the door. Poor Hoppity.

"But, but, but…" Usopp trudged out of the kitchen, looking like a lost puppy. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Pinocchio.

"Awww, it's okay!" I said, patting him on the head. "You know, once, I had a pet butterfly! Yeah! And you know what happened to him? He became the hood ornament of a truck!" I said cheerfully.

Usopp ran off bawling.

"Yeah…that made things a whole lot better." I turned around to see Zoro.

"And you're an expert at makin' people feel better huh?" I asked, raising one of my eyebrows.

"No. But I could've done better than that."

"I highly doubt that." I turned around and marched off to the kitchen, kicking the doors open. "SANJI-CHAN!" I yelled, startling him. He turned around to face me and raised one of his swirly-curly, adorable eyebrows.

"Yes?" He asked.

"YOU ATE HOPPITY?"

"Who?"

"Usopp's frog!"

"What frog?"

"…Should I hit you on the head?" I growled, "Will that make you un-stupid? WILL IT?" I questioned him, pointing at him with squinty eyes.

"Umm…"

"ONE MORE THING!" I yelled, impersonating Uncle from that Jackie Chan cartoon. I do adore that Uncle.

"What?" Sanji said, backing up against the counter.

I felt something tickle on my wrist and looked at it to see a large, heavy-looking silver bracelet on my wrist. "Ho boy…" This was not good. Not again…

"Hey, Skie-Chan, you ok? You don't look so good." Sanji said, noticing that I was getting pale.

"Oh, and now you insult me? GRAH!" I used that as an excuse to storm angrily out of the kitchen and then sprinted into my room, slamming the door shut behind.

Ok, here's the thing. I have a wicked awesome power. And no, it's not the devil fruit power of fantabulous jumping. My imagination goes haywire when I'm bored for too long. I mean, HAYWIRE. The reason I'm always bouncing off the walls is because, it keeps me occupied. We've been out at sea for two whole dang days, and I have not had one interesting thing happen since then. Just a lot of sky staring.

The first sign is, the heavy silver bracelet on my left wrist. It's a sort of…I don't know, radio tower I guess. My over-active imagination travels into the bracelet and, um…'poof'…out into the world.

I sat on my bed and looked at the bracelet. It was pretty cool. All shiny and stuff. It was shaped like an pentagon instead of a circle though. I decided to see what I could do.

I thought of a dragon, a small one. My bracelet vibrated for a second, then buzzing around my head, was a little soda-can sized bright orange dragon. It had red flames on its spine and the tip of its tail. I put my hand out and the dragon landed on it, shaking it's head and snorting.

I poked it's back, but the flames weren't hot. They felt all tickly.

This is gonna be so dang awesome…torturing the Moss-Head like never before…muahahahahahaaha- Dang. I have to stop evil laughing inside my head. Bad Skie, BAD! Shut up. STOP BOTHERING ME! Augh. Stupid me…Oh crud…I just remembered! I can't control my over-active imagination! CRUD!

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**_OUT OF SKIE'S POV_**

"I think Skie-Chan is sick." Sanji told the rest of his crew. They were all in the kitchen having lunch, and Skie didn't show up. "And I feel all guilty because she thinks I insulted her." His shoulders slumped.

"It's okay Sanji-Kun." Nami said, smiling at him cheerfully, "If you want, I can go get her for you. Make sure she's okay." Said Nami.

"No, I better go and check up on her. And apologize." He said, then headed out the door.

"Sometimes, I think he's too nice." Said Zoro.

SANJI'S POV

I knocked on Skie-Chan's door. "Hello? Skie-Chan?" I called. No answer. I was beginning to get worried. "Skie-Chan?" I called again, a little louder this time.

"Uhhh…Yes?" I was relieved to hear her answer me.

"It's lunch time." I said.

"Um…I'm kinda busy right now…"

I snorted, "No, you have to eat. It's not healthy if you don't eat! And I don't want a repeat of the…sugar incident…" I shuddered.

"The WHAT?"

"Nothing!" I said quickly.

The door suddenly opened a little bit, all I could see was her eye. "Look I'm in the middle of something very, very, very important. So, if you excuse me…" she tried to close the door, but I opened it and grabbed her arm, not roughly by the way. I would never do that.

"You need to eat first. Nothing is as important as your health…holy wow…" I gasped, letting go of her arm and looking at her.

She looked like something out of a storybook! She had a thick, heavy looking silver bracelet on her left wrist. It had a bunch of weird markings in it, and they were glowing! Her outfit was very strange too. She had her regular outfit on, the gray sweatshirt and jeans, but on her back were a huge pair of feathery wings! They were white of course. On top of that, she had black cat ears.

"Um…" was all I managed to say.

She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a loud roar from her room, "GOTTA GO!" she said, and then she ran back into her room, slamming the door behind her. "DOWN KITTY!" I heard her yell.

I turned around on my heels and sped back into the kitchen to tell my Nami-Swan, and the rest of my crew, what I saw.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_**LUFFY'S POV**_

Where's Sanji? I'm hungry. I'm the Captain! I should get what I want, when I want it! Shouldn't I? I don't know…

"GUYS!" Sanji kind of broke through the door and stood in front of all of us.

"What is it Sanji?" I asked.

He started talking. And I found myself sort of, not listening. All I could think about was, Meat, Meat, Meat, King of the Pirates, Meat, Meat, STEAK, Fish isn't meat? One Piece…

I don't know how long Sanji went on, but when he was done, everyone gasped, snapping me back into…what is it called? Rulty? Ralty? Reality? Yeah, that's it! Reality!

"Skie has WHAT on her back?" said Zoro.

"And EARS?" Usopp gawked.

"Of course she has ears!" I said, I couldn't believe how stupid Usopp was. "We have ears too!"

"…" Everyone looked at me funny. I don't know why. Is there something on my face? So I started picking my nose, which made them look at me even funnier.

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_**NOBODY'S POV**_

"Crud, Crud, CRUD!" Skie yelled, looking around at her room.

She wasn't able to control her imagination, and now, her room was total mayhem. Seriously.

Her room was about a hundred times larger than it should've been. It stretched for miles. There was also a sky, a bright blue sky, complete with clouds and wind, and weather. She was in the middle of the Night Elf forest from World of Warcraft. (If you want to get a good picture of what that looks like, go to the website and click on the screenshots)

But right where she was standing, she was in the middle of a miniature city. Which happened to be on an island in the middle of the forest. She felt little pinpricks on her skin as tiny soldiers shot at her with tiny guns.

"Stop shooting at me!" she yelled, stomping on a building. Suddenly, Godzilla appeared and started stomping on them for her. "…Outta here." She said and spread her wings and flew off of the city-island. She landed on the grass and looked around. "Oh crap…" she turned around frantically, "WHERE'S THE DOOR?"

To her side, a freakishly tall Night Elf and his pet cat ran by. "Yeah, hello to you too." Skie stuck her tongue at him as he disappeared into the thick purple trees.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zoro pounded on Skie's door, and the reply he got was the sound of Godzilla roaring. It freaked Usopp out royally.

"AIEEEE!" When they heard her scream, they all instantly flung themselves against the door, breaking it down and landing in a heap on the grass.

"Grass?" Sanji looked around, standing up. Nami stood up also, hugging his arm for protection, causing him to break out in a grin.

"Wow! Look at that!" Said Luffy, pointing at the mini-city with Godzilla stomping it.

"And look at that!" said Usopp, pointing at a catfight between two tigers. Usopp hid behind Zoro, who was looking at a tower made of candy. Luffy was also looking at that.

"BACK! BACK I SAY!" they all turned to where Skie's voice was coming form, seeing a hill separated them from their loony friend. "AIEEEE!" They heard her scream again and they ran for the hill, climbing to the top of it. When they reached the top, they all stared at Skie.

She still looked normal. Well, besides the bracelet, wings, cat ears, oh, and the freakishly huge sword she was pointing at something with.

"Bad princess! Stay back!" they all looked at where she was pointing the large, pointy sword, and saw a princess. Zelda, in fact. Now, there was nothing wrong with Zelda, except that she had what looked like a grenade launcher that was twice as large as she was pointed at Skie.

"She's lovely, but Nami is my one and only." Said Sanji, nodding matter-o-factly (I STOLE IT BIBS! HA HA HAAA!)

"Awww! You're so sweet!" Nami kissed Sanji on the cheek, making the cook turn red.

"Hey, guys? Princess-lady is about to blow Skie to bits." Said Usopp.

"DON'T!" Yelled Skie at Zelda.

The princess's eye twitched, "But I hafta make you look PRETTY!" she then laughed maniacally and pulled the trigger.

"NOOO!" the Straw Hat crew yelled in unison. But they fell silent as they saw what was fired from the grenade launcher.

Everything slowed down, and Skie did a back flip in the air, and the fired object flew right under her, missing her by an inch. Then everything sped back up, and they exited the Matrix mode.

A passing Night Elf, who was unfortunately passing through, was plastered with a large, poofy, pink dress. "AAHHH!" He ran off bawling.

"Dang it! PREPARE TO BE DISTRACTED!" She thrust her bracelet-clad arm forward and in a bright flash of light, there, standing in front of her, was Indiana Jones. "Sorry Indy." She said apologetically.

"What? For what?"

"YOU'RE ALL DIRTY!" Indy turned to see Zelda aim the grenade launcher at him. "YOU GOTTA LOOK PERDY!" she fired repeatedly.

Indiana easily dodged them, but then ran off into the woods, the princess chasing after him madly.

Skie's bracelet flashed again, and a polar bear ran off. "I'm outta control!" She yelled.

"Skie!" yelled the crew, sliding down the hill and stopping in front of her.

"AUGH!" she yelled, jumping back, "You guys are real right? Because if you aren't…STAY BACK!" she yelled, a freakishly large axe appearing in her other hand.

"AUGH!" they all screamed and stumbled back, "We're real! Of course we're real!" said the crew.

"Well, that's good. Because the Sanji that came from my bracelet was treating me like he would Nami…I had to RUN! He was too fast, so I had to FLY!" she said.

"Oh, that's where the wings came from." Said Sanji.

"AND ZORO! YOU KEPT STALKING ME!" Skie jabbed Zoro in the forehead. "And then Link kept on following me everywhere. Being a fangirl and having this power is annoying…" she mumbled.

"MOOO!" they turned to see a purple cow lumber off away from them, obviously just coming from Skie's bracelet. "Wow, didn't even think of a purple cow…" Skie shook her head, "I am sooo totally out of control. I can't even stand it!" she said, shaking her head.

"SKIE-SWAN!"

"Oh no…" Skie turned to see a love-struck Sanji speeding for her, his arms outstretched. "AUGH!" she spread her wings and blasted into the air, just in time too, because Sanji ended up running past all of them, screeching to a stop and turning around.

"Where'd you go Skie-Swan? Playing hard to get?" he asked, then looked up, "There you are!" He sang happily.

"Get away from me weirdo!" she yelled.

The real Sanji snorted and stood in front of Sanji2, "You stay away from Skie-Chan." He growled.

Sanji2 gave Sanji a death glare, "And are you gonna make me?"

"Yeah!" Sanji tackled Sanji2 and they started fighting.

"SANJI!" called Skie, "Step away from the copy!"

The two Sanjis' stepped away from each other. "Okay!" they said at the same time.

"Which one is the real Sanji?" said Zoro.

"Me!" They both said. "What? You are not! I am!"

Skie slowly dropped to the ground, when she touched the grass, one of the Sanjis' charged forward, "SKIE-SWAAAN!" He yelled.

"AUGH!" Skie put her wrist forward and in a flash of bright light, a thick iron cage was around Sanji2.

"phew." She sighed.

"Hey…That's Zoro!" Said Luffy, pointing up in a tree.

"WHAT?" Skie whirled around, and yes, Zoro2 was in the tree, his eyes never leaving Skie. "AUGH!" She yelled, hiding behind the real Zoro.

"Hey!" Zoro yelled at Zoro2, "Quit freakin' her out will you? She'll get all hyped up and do nothing but bother me later!"

Zoro2 suddenly vanished and appeared on a lower branch of the tree. "But Skie is so…" his eyes turned into hearts, "Cool." He sighed, grinning absent-mindedly.

"Oh, GAWD!" yelled Skie, "NOW I'M EMOTIONALLY DAMAGED!" she shouted.

Then, Twitchy from the movie Hoodwinked appeared, "Yeah, Baby!" He said, then ran off.

"AUGH! THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAAAZY!" she yelled.

"Skie! There you are!" Link ran up to her, "Jeez, I lost you! How are you today? I've never been in this part of Hyrule have you? Who's he? Is he bothering you? Should I beat him up? Skie, what's your favorite color? Why is that blondie in a cage? And why are there two of the green haired ones?" Link kept on talking, causing Skie's eye to twitch several times.

"Alright you, leave Skie alone." Sanji said, and with a single kick, sent the Link copy flying.

"Skie? What exactly is going on here?" Nami asked.

Skie explained about how she has the ability currently to bring anything out of her imagination to life.

"Wow. Really? How about a big slab of meat?" asked Luffy. Without even realizing it, Skie made a cow-sized steak drop on top of Luffy.

"COOL!" he yelled after pulling himself out from under it, then started knowing on it.

A baseball bat started orbiting around Skie's head, swinging itself dangerously at anyone who came near her. She plucked it out of the air and threw it at a tree, blasting it into pieces. "Stupid…stupid…stupid over-active imagination."

A P-40 Tomahawk fighter jet zoomed over them, the plane holding Wild Bill Kelso in the cockpit.

"Whoa…" said Usopp.

A sudden Jurassic-Park sounding roar shook the forest. "Grrrrr…!" Skie had the look of utmost annoyance on her face. The Straw Hats turned to see a humongous T-Rex stomp into the clearing and eye them hungrily. It roared again, opening its huge jaws to swallow them whole.

"EH!" Skie put her hand out in front of her, and the dinosaur halted. "I don't feel like being eaten. GOT THAT? DO YOU? HUH?" she yelled, advancing on the dinosaur. It backed up, keeping its head low. "I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF MY OVER-ACTIVE IMAGINATION TODAY! THE LAST THING I NEED IS SOME DEAD ANIMAL KILLING ME!" she yelled, an insanely large flame-covered sword appearing in her hand.

The dinosaur whimpered at the sight of the sword and turned around and ran.

"AND STAY OUT!" she yelled, throwing the sword after the dinosaur. The sword and dino disappeared over a hill, and there was a huge mushroom-cloud explosion when the sword hit.

"Your mind is weird." Said Usopp.

A frying pan materialized and hit him over the head. "OW!" he yelled. The cooking utensil flew off and smacked Zoro2 in the face, knocking him out of the tree. Then a helicopter flew in overhead, dropped a rope ladder, and James Bond slid down it. He took a rope with a hook at the end and put it on Sanji2's iron cage, then climbing back up the ladder and the helicopter took off with both Bond, and Sanji2.

Skie's wings ruffled and the fur and her cat's ears bristled. "This is making me angry…" she said.

One of the giant robots from War of Worlds appeared and stomped off, frying members of a freshly imagined crowd as they ran away screaming.

Luffy had finished his steak and looked around, "Wow, Skie looks angry!" He said.

"Pointing out the obvious will not help." Said Nami.

The more Skie got angry, the more frequently things started appearing. And each of them seemed to be enjoying her anger. The Teen Titans appeared and flew off, but not before pointing and laughing at Skie. Then a Pikachu appeared and electrocuted them, but was then fried by the War of Worlds robot.

Books started swirling around before zooming off, crashing into anything they ran into.

Tarzan swung on tree vines overhead.

Star Wars characters appeared, then started epic light saber battles as they walked off, but not before pointing and laughing at Skie.

Arthur Dent and Ford Perfect from The Galaxy's Guide to the Universe appeared, walked up to her, and Ford said; "If your trying to go mad, don't force yourself, it doesn't work. I should know. I thought I was a lemon for some time…but then I remembered I wasn't…" then Ford walked off laughing maniacally, but he poked Skie before he did that. "I was insulted for no apparent reason by an alien named Wowbagger after spending two years of isolation from anything intelligent." Then Arthur walked off.

A long silver ship hovered over the trees, and an alien walked down a ramp and it stood in front of Skie. "You're a jerk, Skie." Said Wowbagger, then walked back up the ramp and the ship flew off.

The ship soon exploded after flying off, apparently because a pencil had flown clear through the ship's armor and into the engine.

After it seemed nothing else could get more chaotic, Indiana Jones ran through the clearing screaming before disappearing into the bushes, but not before they all noticed he was dressed like a proper English lady. "WAAIT! YOU'RE NOT PRETTY ENOUGH!" Zelda then ran through the clearing after him, disappearing into the bushes as well.

"Heh…Heh heh…" they all turned to Skie, who was grinning. "Ha ha…Hahaha…"

Everything around them seemed to slow down and stare at Skie, as if wanting an explanation for why she had suddenly turned happy.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Skie laughed, doubling over. "AAAHHHH HA HA HA HA HAAAH!" she fell to her knees, rolling around on the ground, laughing like a maniac.

The world around them rippled and it all started swirling around them as she kept laughing. And like that scene in Jumangi, everything kept swirling, being sucked into her bracelet one by one before there was a bright flash of light.

And they were all back in Skie's room.

The bracelet on Skie's wrist had vanished, and she was sound asleep on the floorboards.

Without saying anything to each other, Luffy picked Skie up, put her on her bed, then they all walked out of her room, more like rushed out of her room, and into the kitchen.

"Sanji…I'm hungry." Said Usopp.

"Yeah. Me too." Said Luffy.

Sanji made everyone dinner, and they all ate in shocked silence.

Several minutes of silence went by…

"THAT WAS WEIRD!" yelled Luffy.

"Let's make sure she never gets bored again alright?" said Nami.

"Agreed." They all said.

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**ROOTBEER AND ROCK!** and roll.

I'm putting in the rest of the chapters today. Just...review as much as ya can!


	17. Drunk on Chocolate Milk?

**Chappter 17**

I saw the second OP movie! Sanji rocked (duh) But I found that several of the baddies were creepy -shudders- Oh well, it was still really good.

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It was the day after Skie's Hyperactive Meltdown, they were headed for an island to restock up on food. Because of another eating contest between Usopp, Luffy, and Skie, of course.

Skie had been asleep for the whole day, and was still asleep now. Heck, having your imagination wiped clean can do that to ya.

Luffy and Usopp peaked inside to make sure there were no weird forests growing inside of her room, and also to make sure she didn't have a giant pair of feathered wings and cat ears. Nope. They both exited her room with relief. "Good." Said Usopp happily.

An hour slowly passed, and they finally reached the island. "LAND HO!" yelled Usopp. "We already know that there's land there moron!" Said Nami. "Stop upsetting my Nami-San!" yelled Sanji.

"LAND?" they all jumped, including Zoro, at the voice. Skie charged out of her room and skidded to a stop on one foot. "OMIGOSH! LAND!" she yelled happily.

"Yes. Land." Zoro said flatly.

They docked the ship, and before anyone of them could do anything, Skie jumped off the ship and zoomed off into the crowd. "Skie! Skie get back here!" yelled Nami. "Get Back Here NOW!" yelled Zoro.

"NYAAA HA HAAAH!" was her reply. The last time they saw here then was when they saw her turn a corner and disappear.

"Great. Now she's gonna get lost." Nami rubbed her head.

"Don't worry Nami-San! I'll find her!" Sanji said, getting off of the boat and onto the dock.

"Alright, you go find Skie, Zoro and I will do the grocery shopping." Nami said.

"WHAT?"

"Luffy, Usopp, you two help Sanji find Skie, ok?" Nami looked at the two.

"Yeah, okay." They both nodded.

**-c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e-**

"Skiiie!" Sanji called.

"SKIIIE!" Called Usopp and Luffy.

"We've searched the entire town over and over again! She's not here!" Luffy said, sounding tired, and hungry for that matter.

"She might've ran off to another city on the island." Usopp suggested.

"Yeah, maybe she did." Sanji sighed, "Alright, let's head back to the ship." He turned around and headed back for the Going Merry, Luffy and Usopp right behind him.

When they reached the ship, Nami and Zoro had already done all of the grocery shopping, and both of them looked displeased at the sight of the trio without Skie. "Where is she?" Nami asked.

"We don't know. She wasn't in the city." Said Luffy.

"I think she went to a different city. We could sail to the other cities around the island and search there." Usopp said. "Good idea." Nami nodded, "Alright, let's get back on board and find our psycho."

**-v-a-n-i-l-l-a**

It was an hour after the Going merry had set sail when Skie came back to the dock, but she hadn't gone to another town, she just got lost in the woods surrounding the town for a small amount of time. She looked around for her ship, but didn't see it. "Wha?" she looked out at sea to see if she could spot the ship, but to no avail.

"Th…they left me." She bawled, anime rivers flowing from her eyes. "BWAAAAH!" she cried. "I can't believe they left me all alone on the island! GAAAAH!" she stormed off angrily. "Stupid lousy pirates! Leavin' me to fend for myself on this stupid rock! I don't even know where I am!" she glared at someone who was looking at her as if she was crazy.

"Fine! They wanna leave me behind! Then…FINE! Hmph!" she crossed her arms and headed back into the city.

**-s-t-r-a-w-b-e-r-r-y-**

The Going Merry stopped at another town and they all got off and started their search. Nothing. She wasn't at that city.

They went to another one. Also nothing. No trace of Skie was found anywhere.

There were a total of five towns on the island, every single one of them had been searched very thoroughly. And still, no sign of the crazy Skie.

"It's hopeless. She's probably lost, alone, hungry..." Usopp said.

"Don't talk like that!" Luffy yelled.

"Alright, stop fighting you big babies! We'll go back to the original city and search there one more time." Nami said. "Alright?"

"Okay." They all agreed, and got back on the Going Merry.

**-n-e-a-p-o-l-i-t-a-n-**

"A-and that's how I got to 'dis world!" Skie said, almost falling out of her chair.

"'hic' ya don't say?" Kelly answered (There ya go Kelly! I luv your story!).

"BARTENDER!" Skie barked, catching his attention, "O-one mor-hic-more round over here." Skie said drunkenly.

The bartender shook his head, "I think you've had enough little miss."

"Hic, I SHOULD KNOW WH-hic-WHEN I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" she said, slamming her fist on the table. "And, this;

"You tell 'im Skie!" Kelly cheered, putting her head on the table.

"Listen, your drunk, I don't know how, and you don't need anymore chocolate milk!" the bartender answered.

In front of Skie, believe it or not, were at least fifty cartons of chocolate milk, another fifty littered the floor. Kelly had the same amount around her. "Listen up, pal. I want my –hic- CHOCOLATE MILK!" she yelled, then giggled, "Hoo hweee! Heh, heh…dude…You know what?"

"What?"

"One time, there was this bug –hic- and…" she giggled again.

"What happened?" Kelly asked.

"I stabbed it in the eye!" they both burst out laughing. Both of them falling out of their chairs.

They both got back on their chairs, "Y-you fell doowwn!" Skie laughed.

"You fell down toooo!" Kelly laughed, pointing at Skie with her head down on the table. They kept laughing for around ten minutes, getting a lot of weird looks from…well, everyone that came into the bar.

"Skiiiie!" A voice called from outside.

"Whozat?" asked Kelly.

"It's those –hic- creeps I was tellin' yas about. I wonder why they came back…" Skie trailed off.

"SKIE! THERE YOU ARE!" Zoro yelled, storming up to her, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WHAT'S WITH ALL THE CHOCOLATE MILK?" he yelled.

"AUGH!" Skie threw a carton at him, hitting him in the face, "Back! Back I say! Bad Moss-Head!" Skie said, throwing more empty milk cartons at him.

"Hey! Cut that out! OW!" yelled Zoro, stumbling back.

Skie stopped throwing and glared at him. "You guysh left meh all alone." She said, pointing at him accusingly.

"What? You left US. Not the other way around!" Zoro barked.

"I've heard about-hic- about you!" Kelly pointed at Zoro, "You're the Moss-Head guy! Who used to be a pirate hunter!" She said, waving her arm at him like a maniac.

"Oi, crap-swordsman. You find Skie?" Sanji growled, stepping into the bar, the rest of the crew following him.

"Shut up you stupid love-cook. She's right there." Zoro said, pointing at Skie.

"COOL! HI SKIE!" yelled Luffy.

"What's with all the chocolate milk?" asked Usopp.

"Hey, who're you?" asked Nami, looking at Kelly.

"SHE!" said Skie, pointing at Kelly, "Iz Kelly! My NEW besht friend! 'Cuz YOU guyz left meh all alone! Jerks!" Skie crossed her arms and huffed, ignoring them completely.

"…WHAT?" they all roared. "YOU left US!" they yelled in unison.

"So Kelly, what were you saying? Hey, what'sh wrong?"

Kelly kept staring at Sanji, "Ya know, I hava feeling I know him from somewhere…" Kelly said, never taking her narrowed eyes off of the cook.

Sanji started squirming uncomfortably. "Well, glad we found Skie, now let's leave." He said hurriedly.

"I'm not leaving." Skie said stubbornly, with an empty carton in her teeth.

"Yeah!" Kelly said, nodding.

"Sorry, but Skie is part of the crew. She has to come!" Luffy said.

"Says who exacticacally?" Skie demanded. "Kelly?"

"Yesh?"

"Will you aid me in getting rid of my OLD friends because they are no longer my pals." Skie asked without looking at the Straw Hat crew.

"Yes I will." Water from every glass around the bar rose out of the cups and formed together, then started lashing out at the crew, soaking all of them.

"AUGH!" they all yelled as the water hit them. When if finally stopped they all looked wide-eyed at Kelly, who was laughing, Skie was laughing too.

"What's the big idea?" demanded Luffy.

"Thh big idea ish that you guys are mean." Skie said matter-of-factly. "So nyeaah." She said, sticking her tongue out at them.

"Are you drunk?" yelled Zoro.

Skie hiccupped. "Nooooope."

"Ya! We –hic- aren't drunk!" Kelly said.

"Really?" said Luffy.

"Yesh." They both said.

"Okay, let's test that out." Said Sanji. "Skie, come here." He said.

"And why should I?"

"Pleeease?" Sanji asked, giving her a big pair of puppy-eyes.

"That don't work on me." Skie huffed.

Sanji stuck out his lower lip, making him look even cuter.

"But that does." She stood up and stumbled over. "What do you want? And make it fast." Skie said.

"Walk in a straight line, that way." Sanji said, pointing to the left.

"Easy." Skie said, she took one step and fell over. "OWCH!"

"Ooo! Let me try!" Kelly said.

THUMP

She fell over too. "Ow."

"You tricked us!" said Skie angrily.

"Yeah! Did that on purpose!" Kelly said, rubbing the top of her head.

"Skie…" said Zoro, "We're very, very, very sorry we left you all alone in this town!" he said, "But we thought you were lost, and only left to find you!" he said tearfully, rubbing his eyes. "We were only worried about you!" he said.

Everyone stared at Zoro with freakishly wide eyes.

Kelly looked around, "I'm guessing he doesn't act like that a lot huh?" she asked Skie.

"Nu-uh." Skie shook her head.

"W-will you ever forgive us?" Zoro asked.

Skie narrowed her eyes at him, then nodded. "'kay." She said simply.

"HOORAH! WE GOT OUR PSYCHO BACK!" cheered Luffy. Him and Usopp started dancing around the chocolate-milk-intoxicated-girl.

The rest of the crew was still staring at Zoro who still had his arm over his eyes, biting his lip.

"Skie? Will you head back to the ship now?" asked Nami, "We want to take off soon."

"Uh-huh." Skie said groggily, nodding. "Shure." She stood up and her and Kelly slowly walked out the door.

As soon as they were out of sight, Zoro sighed and dropped his arm, "Jeez, that was hard to act out." He said, grinning and wiping his fake tears away.

"Wait, so that was fake?" asked Nami.

"Duh." Zoro said.

"That was very weird for you." Luffy said, "I was actually scared."

"Luffy? Scared? I guess that means I'LL BE CAPTAIN NOW!" Usopp cried happily.

"No way! I'm the captain!"

**-o-r-a-n-g-e-**

"Soo, whut now?" Skie asked Kelly while they were walking towards the docks.

"I dunno. I think I should go find my pal Tina." Kelly answered.

"Whozat?"

"My friend."

"Oooh. Cool. And I think I should got ta sleep because I am tired." Skie said.

"Meh too. See ya Skie!" Kelly said cheerfully.

"See ya Kelly!" then they both walked off in separate directions.

**-b-a-n-a-n-a-**

The next day, Skie was up bright and early, which was odd. And the cool think about being drunk on chocolate milk is, no hangovers. So she was all happy cheery that morning.

She glared at Zoro at the kitchen table when everyone was sitting there for breakfast. Sanji had gone grocery shopping last night and they were already out at sea.

"What're you looking at?" Zoro said.

She pointed at him, there was a minute long pause, everyone waiting for her to say something. Then, suddenly, "YOU ARE A MEAN PERSON!" she yelled, making everyone jump.

"What'd I DO?" he said.

"You wanna know why? I'll tell you why! It's because you're a –"

"EEEEEYAAAAAAIIIIIIIEEEEE!" someone screamed from outside, so loudly that everyone clapped their hands over their ears.

"WHAT ON EARTH?" yelled Sanji.

"Yay!" cheered Skie, running out of the kitchen, completely forgetting about insulting Zoro.

"Where's she off too?" asked Usopp.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Zoro groaned.

There were voices outside the kitchen, four to be exact. Skie, and three other younger-sounding ones. A minute later, the kitchen door burst open and four people came in. There was Skie of course, and then two younger looking kids, plus a baby girl that Skie was holding.

A curly-red headed nine-year old boy wearing camouflage baggy shorts and a gray t-shirt with Naruto on it. On top of his head, he had a Naruto-style headband with the little water sign on it, (four little squigglies).

The girl looked around six years old, and had shoulder length red hair. She had a little flowered knee-length skirt on with a pink shirt that said 'American Cutie' on it with a bunch of butterflies.

The baby girl had red hair and a little pink and white-checkered dress with white sandals.

"Everyone," Said Skie. "These are my cousins, Maddie," she said, motioning to the baby. "Blade," She said, motioning towards the boy, "And Crystal." She said, and motioned towards the six-year-old girl.

"Oh, wonderful." Said Zoro.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sea moooon, see yooooou...-is listening to music-

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! and roll! You all owe me reviews (except for Thomas, he rocks) so review, dang it!


	18. SPIDER! And a Dragon?

**Chapter 18**

OMG! Zoro sings Jingle Bells! I'll put that song up too! -laughs maniacally-

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"Hey Sanji, can you make some more food for them?" Skie asked the cook. "I WANT WAFFLES!" yelled Blade with a large grin on his face. "JEEZ!" Zoro yelled, covering his ears. "HEY! You're Sanji! Skie likes you! Did you know that? She has a little plushie of you in her room!" squealed Crystal. (little people have very large mouths)

"…Emmm…SHE IS LYYYING!" Skie yelled, covering her cousins mouth and grinning nervously. "No she's not. " said Blade, "Yeah, she also has like, five hundred different pictures of you all over this big bulletin board."

"…what now?" Sanji said, just now starting to pay attention to them.

Skie let out the biggest sigh of relief in the history of sighs of relief and pointed towards the table. "Go sit down you little monkeys." She said. "I'M A MONKEY!" said Luffy. "AUGH!" Yelled Crystal. "Skie! He yelled in my ear!" she complained.

"And?" Skie raised an eyebrow.

"And it bothered me." She said.

"Luffy, say sorry."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

"But I don't wanna!"

"Oh, for the love of baby food!" yelled Maddie. Skie, Crystal, and Blade were the only ones who didn't look surprised that the baby had just spoken. "Just apologize you dimwit!" she said.

"TALKING BABY!" Usopp yelled.

"Why does everyone like yelling on this boat? You're all insane. Skie? Where's my bottle. I demand nourishment." Maddie said. Skie put Maddie down and she walked to the table, "Hey, you." She pointed up at Zoro.

"What?" he said.

"Pick me up."

"WHAT?"

"I said 'pick me up'. Has anyone ever told you look like you have moss on your head?" Maddie asked.

"…Go get Nami to pick you up." Zoro said, pointing at the orange-haired navigator. "Zoro! You're so mean!" Nami scorned, picking Maddie up. "Being mean to the little baby!" Nami said.

"What? I didn't do anything!" Zoro said. "Exactly you lazy swordsman!" Sanji snapped, smacking him in the back of the head. "Hey! Watch it!" Zoro growled, standing up and jabbing Sanji's chest. "You watch it!" Sanji yelled.

"They're gonna fight, watch this." Skie said, sitting between Blade and Crystal. "Oooo!" Blade grinned.

"Why you-ARGH!" Zoro tackled Sanji and they started fighting. Blade, Skie, and Luffy cheered. Crystal, however, looked annoyed. She stood up and walked over by the dust-cloud that was their fight. "Excuse me." She said. But they didn't hear her. "Excuse me." She said a little louder. "Cover your ears." Blade said. Everyone did so, including Maddie.

Crystal took a deep breath, puffing up her chest, then, "EEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" She screeched, vibrating the entire ship. A glass that Luffy had in his hand cracked and fell apart.

When she finally stopped everyone was silent. Then, finally, "WHAT WAS THAT?" yelled Zoro. "That," Blade said, "Was my sister's power." He said simply. "Well, obviously." Nami said.

"Pain…" said Sanji, rubbing his ears. Skie started laughing at the look of confused amazement on Zoro's face, "THAT WAS FUNNY!" she laughed, falling out of her chair. "OW!" she yelled. "No, THAT was funny!" Laughed Blade, pointing at his fallen cousin.

**-v-a-n-i-l-l-a-**

"Do you want to know something really awesome?" Blade asked Zoro, approximately two hours after they first arrived. "Not really. Stop bugging me." Zoro said with his eyes closed as he was trying to fall asleep. "Well, I'm going to tell you anyways." Blade started to whisper something in Zoro's ear. A second later, the green-haired swordsman's eyes snapped open, "REALLY?" he said, looking at him. "Yesh." Blade nodded. "Oh-ho-ho. This is gonna be rich." Zoro said, grinning evily.

**-c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e-**

Skie was sitting with her back against the mast, busy daydreaming about who-knows-what. Up overhead, grinning evily up in the crow's nest, were Zoro and Blade. Skie was imagining when she would finally see Pirates of the Caribbean, and how awesome it would be, when she saw something drop down in front of her. It was balanced on a string…black…eight legs…the word '_spider_' clicked into Skie's brain…and…"…nah…nah…nnnnnNNNYAAAAA!" Skie screamed bloody-murder and completely flipped out.

She tried to back away from it at first, but the mast was there, so she jumped straight up, turning herself around in midair and clinging to the mast for dear life. "ARG! SPIDER!" She screamed.

"Pffk…khhch…AH HA HA HA HA HAHAAA!" laughed both Zoro and Blade, slamming their fists against the rim of the crow's nest. "I had no idea she was so freaked out about spiders!" Zoro laughed.

Skie's ear twitched, "EH?" she looked up, but of course since she was right under the crow's nest, she couldn't see them. "WHAAAT?" she roared.

"Uh-oh…" Blade said, "Um…Zoro, I have…uh…somewhere to go. Like…now." He flipped himself over the edge of the crow's nest. Zoro didn't have time to see how Blade landed on the deck without turning into a human accordion, because the next thing he saw was Skie's arm appear over the edge of the crow's nest, then saw her claw herself up. "Zoro." She growled deadly, one of her eyes twitching. "Uh…y-yes?" he backed away. "I." she climbed into the crow's nest, "Hate." She cracked her knuckles, "SPIDERS!" she jumped at him, her teeth bared.

**-s-t-r-a-w-b-e-r-r-y-**

"GYAAAAH!" Zoro's horrified scream echoed for miles.

"What is going on?" Nami demanded, storming out of the kitchen angrily, Luffy and the rest of the crew following her. "Ha ha!" Laughed Crystal, pointing at the violent scene in front of them, "That's funny!" she giggled. "Whoa. Again, Skie has amazed me." Usopp said. Luffy's mouth was hanging open, Sanji and Nami were laughing.

Skie had one knee on Zoro's chest, and was holding him up by the front of his shirt. She used her other free hand to slap him repeatedly. "I DON'T LIKE SPIDERS! I DON'T LIKE SPIDERS! I DOOON'T LIIIKE SPIIIIDERS!" she yelled, still slapping him again and again.

Blade was laughing like a maniac, unable to help himself. Finally, after calming himself down, he decided to help out his now-being-slapped-to-death green-haired frightening-skie-with-a –fake-spider accomplice. He put his hands together and started doing a lot of complex hand-signs (he loves Naruto). "Water missile!" he said, and a large strand of water flicked out of the ocean and drenched both of them.

Skie's neck creaked as she slowly turned her head to face her cousin. "Blaaade…" she hissed, letting go of Zoro's shirt so his head banged against the deck. "Pain…" he groaned. Skie growled, "I HATE DEH SPIDERS!" she yelled, and jumped towards her laughing cousin, only to be grabbed in mid-air by Sanji. "Hey, hey. That's enough. You've already beaten the idiot-swordsman to a pulp, no sense in getting your cousin." He said, trying to keep Skie from thrashing around like a fish out of water.

Crystal tugged on Skie's pant leg, "Hey, hey Skie! You're blushing!" She laughed. Skie's eyes widened, "I'm red 'cuz I'm ANGRY!" she roared. "Nu-uh! You're read 'cuz Sanji's giving you a hug." Blade grinned. Sanji let go of Skie immediately, "Go get 'im tiger." He said, stepping backwards next to Nami.

"RAWR!" Skie yelled, and the all-out cousin-war began.

"Hey Luffy, pass the popcorn." Usopp said, "Awww! Fine!" Luffy handed Usopp the large popcorn he had, and they both started eating it while their eyes were glued to the Lord of the Rings worthy epic battle.

There was a circle of water hovering around Skie, "You goin' down Skie!" Blade laughed, then the water closed in, but Skie jumped up just as the water would have turned her into a soaking wet, and angry person of DOOM.

Skie angled down and tackled Blade, and soon afterwards tied him to the mast with the fake spider taped to his forehead. "HA!" she laughed, poking him in the stomach. "I so rock." She said, walking to her room with an air of pride, slamming the door behind her.

"For the love of…that was idiotic!" Maddie sighed, Crystal holding her. "Oh well. Crystal? Can I please have some food? I find myself hungry." She said. "Want some popcorn?" Luffy asked. "NO!" screamed Crystal, making Luffy drop the popcorn and cover his ears. "BABIES CAN'T EAT POPCORN!" she yelled. "…oh." Luffy grinned.

"Moron." Nami sighed.

Crystal huffed and took the happy Maddie into the kitchen to get her some food.

"ORANGE!" Yelled Blade suddenly.

"What?" Luffy asked.

"ORANGE!"

"Yeah! Those are good! Nami, could we have some of your tanger-"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty-Please?"

"I said no."

"ORANGE!"

"Yeah! See! Blade wants one too!"

"NAMI-SWAN SAID NO! SO NO!"

"You're such a grouch."

"ORANGE!"

"Yes, we know Blade." Nami sighed.

"NO! OOORAAANGE!" he yelled again.

"What are you trying to say?" Usopp asked.

"LOOK. OVER. THERE. YOU-"

"Hey, no need to swear!" Skie's head popped out of her room suddenly.

"I wasn't going to swear! I was going to say, ahem, 'look over there, you are going to die if you do not.'" Blade said flatly. "Oooh…why?" Skie said.

Blade sighed, sounding like he was talking to a bunch of uneducated monkeys (which was true in one case) "Just…just turn around." He said, shaking his head. They all did so, and promptly screamed in absolute terror, except for Skie, who just stared wide-eyed.

There, zooming towards them, was a giant orange dragon (I am so dang creative, I can't even stand it). "Dragon…" Skie said, grinning. "COOL!" and what was awesome about this particular dragon, was it was a Chinese looking dragon, four legs, no wings, and those long whiskery things! Yay!

"What is that?" Nami pointed at the dragon coming at them.

"Looks like…um…" Luffy tried to think of something.

"A giant man-eating worm!" Usopp yelled.

"ARG!" Blade squirmed to get free.

"IT'S NOT A WORM YOU DOLT!" Skie huffed. "It's a dragon!" she said.

"Don't dragons have wings?" Sanji said.

"Not Chinese dragons." Skie said.

"Uhn…My head hurts…WHERE'S SKIE?" Zoro roared, looking around. "Ah HA!" he yelled, getting to his feet. "Hold it right there Moss-Head." Skie said without turning around. "And why should I. You friggin' slapped me unconscious!" he said. "Yes, but we have a larger problem on our hands." She said. "And what is that?" he asked, his eyebrow twitching.

Skie pointed at the orange dot.

"Is that someone you know?" he asked.

"No."

"GREAT."

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**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! and roll.

DRAGON! I love dragons. -was called Dragon-Girl in sixth and half of seventh grade)


	19. Yet Another Pal

**Chapter 19**

Chapter 20, comin' soon! My sister's idea for the next chap, and I luved it. GO AMBER! W00t!

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"Oh don't be such a baby. You always overreact" Skie told Zoro, who looked very ticked off.

"WHAT? YOU SLAP ME UNCONSCIOUS AND NOW I'M OVERREACTING?" he roared.

"…Yes." She said without looking at him.

"GRAH!" Zoro leapt at her, but she jumped up out of the way, landing on the higher railing up above. "Jeezums, it's kind of a small one." She said. "STOP PRETENDING LIKE I'M NOT HERE!" Zoro yelled, rubbing his head from crashing into the wall. "Stop yelling Moss-Head." Skie said, jumping backwards and landing on the edge of the crow's nest.

The dragon was about as long as a school bus, and was speeding right for the ship.

"You call that small?" Nami said, looking up at Skie and pointing at the approaching dragon.

"Yes." Skie nodded.

"She got you good." Sanji grinned at Zoro.

"Shut up." Zoro growled angrily.

The dragon finally reached the ship, everyone ready in their fighting stances.

It landed lightly on the deck and looked around, "Okay, first question. Why does everyone look like they want to kill me?" It asked.

"What's going on out here? GWAH!" Crystal screamed, pointing at the dragon with her free arm, while the other one held Maddie. "Oooh! Cool!" Maddie said, clapping her hands.

The dragon sat down, "About time I caught up with you. Jeez." The dragon said, clearly in a boy's voice.

Skie jumped down and landed in front of the dragon.

"Hi Skie." It said, grinning.

"Whut? How d'you know my name?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Well, I was one of your best pals back when you lived in Maryland…" he said, trailing off to let her guess who he was.

"Um…" Skie thought, "Nya…nya…Maryland…best pal…hmm…"

"Okay, here's a hint, I have a sister, and a cousin."

"No, dun't tell meh!"

"Okay. Guess than."

"I'm trying! Hmm…"

"Want another hint?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yesh."

"You haven't changed a bit." The dragon grinned toothily.

"Oh hush. And what's that supposed to mean?" Skie put her hands on her hips.

"Well…remember that one game we were playing a couple summers ago? You were some insane crazy knight person, and so was Charlotte, and what were the rest of us?"

"Um…Charlie was a wizard, because he's a know-it-all."

"Yeah. He's like, insanely smart, did you hear he already got a full scholarship for collage already?"

"No, didn't know that." Skie shook her head, "Anyways, Koia didn't really play did she? She just sort of watched us, so did Kala."

"No, Kala was a sorceress, remember?"

"Oh yeah! I remember."

"Shocking."

"Shut up." Skie stuck her tongue out at the grinning dragon. "And Roland was a shape-shifter."

The dragon suddenly transformed into a wolf, then into a bird, followed by a turtle.

"…A turtle?" Skie said, "You could have done somethin' a bit more impressive."

"Are you really that oblivious?" the turtle rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

The turtle morphed into a human this time. He had dark brown skin, almost no hair, and was wearing a loose baggy red short-sleeved shirt and jeans.

"…ROLAND! GWAAH!" Skie tackled him.

"Arg!" Roland stumbled backwards.

"So it IS someone you know!" Zoro said, pointing at Skie and Roland. "I KNEW IT!"

Skie let go of her pal and looked at Roland, "I haven't seen you in like…four years!" she said.

"I know. PLUS! I'm still angry at you and Charlotte for pulling that million dollar prank on me." He mumbled.

"Who is that?" Blade asked, still tied to the mast, and still had the fake spider taped to his head.

"He's one of meh best pals, Roland." Skie said, patting Roland on the back hard enough to make him fall over. "Oh come on! I barely touched you! You haven't changed a bit either."

"Oh shut up." Roland stood up and brushed himself off.

"And what prank? Skie pulled a prank on you? What was it?" Blade asked, looking all excited.

"Pfft. I don't wanna say it." Roland said.

"THEN I SHALL!" Skie said.

"Fine. BE that way." Roland huffed.

"Okay, it was a couple days before Christmas, and me and Charlotte three-way called Roland's house. Charlotte was supposed to keep quiet while I talked." Skie started. "Anyways, Roland answered the phone, just like we hoped he would, and I said 'Hello, is this Roland?' and he said 'Yes.'" Skie started laughing, then got a hold of herself.

"Anyway, I said 'Congratulations, this is Sally from the 'Pick a Tree Christmas Foundation, and you've just won our jackpot of one million dollars!' Then he started freaking out, it was the best." Skie grinned.

"No it wasn't." Roland said, crossing his arms.

Blade burst out laughing, the rest of the crew joining in. Except Zoro, he was still grumpy.

"Hey! I have a very important question. Where am I?" Roland asked, "And who are they?" he looked at Skie's crew.

"Okay, here it is, I'm in a coma right now."

"WHAT?" Roland flipped out, "Oh wait, this is another JOKE isn't it?"

"Nope. I'm in a coma, and am unable to wake up from this world. I don't mind that much actually." She shrugged. "And I'm a pirate." She said proudly.

"Pirate? Like Jack Sparrow? He's awesome."

"Yesh he is. And this is my crew. That's Sanji, the cook." She pointed at Sanji. "And Usopp, the sharpshooter." She motioned towards Usopp. "Nami, the navigator, and that's Luffy, our captain." And then she turned to Zoro, "And this is the hot-headed Zoro. He's a swordsman. I call him Moss-Head." She said.

Roland snickered and Zoro growled, "Stop calling me that." He said.

"Okay. And who's he?" Roland pointed at Blade, who was currently squirming to get free, Luffy laughing at him. "That's my cousin, Blade." She said.

"And why's he having a spider taped to his head?"

"Because he scared me." Skie said simply.

"Oh. Yeah, you have an irrational fear of spiders." Roland grinned.

"Shush. And behind you, that's Crystal, and Maddie."

"Hello!" Maddie smiled.

"HOOBA JOOBA WHA! TALKING BABY!" He screamed.

"Honestly, I don't understand why this is such a shocker to everyone." Maddie said.

"Because we can't understand you back in our world." Skie said.

"…Oh. That makes sense now. I just thought you were all unintelligent."

"Oh, nice." Blade said. Crystal just laughed.

"And can you tell me what people from our world are doing in this one? WHAT IS THIS WORLD ANYWAYS?" Roland yelled. "Stop stressing yourself out, here, I'll tell ya." So Skie told Roland all about how people she's known have been coming to the One Piece world, which she explained was a comic in their world, have been coming here when they fall asleep, but they only stay for a little while, then wake up and disappear from this world."

"That's confusing." Roland said.

"Tell me about it. I've been here for a couple weeks now." She said.

"Really? Wow. I hope you're okay." Roland said.

"I got hit by a truck."

"WHAT? A TRUCK?"

"Yup. A red one at that."

"Curse the red trucks…CURSE them…" he mumbled, shaking his fist.

"I think being in this world as a shape shifter fried you brains." Skie said, poking Roland in the forehead. "Possibly." He shrugged.

"So, where's Charlotte and the rest?"

"How should I know?" he shrugged.

"Hey Skie? I'm feeling a bit tired." Blade yawned.

"Oh, that means he's about to wake up." Skie said.

"Me too. I don't wanna go to bed." Crystal said, yawning as well. Maddie nodded, "I'm tired too."

"Alright guys, see you later." Skie gave Crystal and Maddie a hug, then poked Blade in the stomach. "I'd give you a hug, but you'd probably crush my ribs." She sad. "Why?" Nami asked. "Because he's inhumanly strong for someone his age." She said.

"Ooh! Mom's making waffles!" Crystal said, grinning.

"Waffles! Yay!" Maddie cheered happily, then the two of them vanished.

"GAH!" Roland fell backwards. "They disappeared!"

"I told you, when you wake up from the real world, you vanish from this one." Skie said, sighing. "Well, I know that now. And why aren't you awake yet?" Roland pointed at Blade.

"I don't wanna get up." He said stubbornly.

"Aunt Pam's gonna wake you up anyways. Or Uncle J." Skie grinned.

"Oh fine. See you all later, well…probably not all of you, but see you later Skie!" and he vanished, the ropes going slack and falling to the bottom of the mast.

-v-a-n-i-l-l-a-

Blade slowly sat up from his bed, "What a weirdly awesome dream." He mumbled, then went to scratch his head and froze. He took what was on his head off and screamed when he saw in his hand was the plastic spider. "IT WASN'T A DREAM! …I WANT MY WAFFLES!"

-c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e-

"So. Now what?" Roland said, yawning.

"Oh great. Are you gonna wake up too now?"

"I don't know. I've been asleep I guess for a while now. I spent most of the time looking for you." He said.

"How'd you know I was here?" Skie asked.

"I have absolutely no idea." He shrugged.

"Want some ice cream?" Skie asked. "We have some left over chocolate ice cream if you want." She suggested.

"Nah. I actually think I'm going to wake up soon." He said. "So. Why are you so grumpy?" he asked Zoro, who's eyebrow twitched. "Grumpy? Me? You must be mistaken." He said, baring his teeth.

"Just back away slowly." Skie said flatly, "And maybe the freakazoid in front of you won't attack."

"Shut up." Zoro said, walking off, "Don't bother me, I'm going to take a nap."

Skie and Roland looked at each other, grinned, then followed Zoro. "Do you mind?" he said.

"…Bother!" they both shoved him and ran off laughing.

"WHUT? I'M GONNA GET YOU SKIE!" Zoro roared, standing up and chasing after them.

"Whoop! Wake up time! See ya!" and he vanished, just as Zoro was about to tackle him, so the hot-headed Moss-Head dove through the air and slid to a stop on the deck. "Grrrrrr…" he growled, his neck creaking as he turned to glare at Skie.

"…GAAAH!" Skie ran for it, running into her room and slamming the door behind her. "GO away!" She yelled as Zoro tried to get the door open. "NO WAY! I'M GOING TO TIE YOU TO THE MAST! …AGAIN! AND TAPE YOUR MOUTH SHUT!" Zoro yelled.

"You can't come it moron! I'm…uh…changing!" the banging on the door stopped. "THAT'S CHEATING!" Zoro's voice yelled. "Well, you can't come in!" she yelled. Zoro stomped away angrily.

"Phew." Skie sighed in relief, sliding down the door until she was sitting on the floor. "That was close."

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Chopper is so cyute! He has a song, and when he sings 'Tony Tony Chopper' he's so adorable! I just wanna hug him. And I think Luffy makes fun of Zoro in the song, because he says something (in Japanease) and then Zoro goes 'Huh?' second time he growls.

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! and roll!


	20. Personality Deffect

**Chapter 20**

W00t! TWENTY CHAPTERS! NEXT CHAPTER IS THE CHAPTER OF CELEBRATION! I think you guys'll like it.

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The next day, Skie was still in her room, waiting for Zoro to calm down. She decided to try to get to the kitchen. Last time she tried exiting her room, Zoro was waiting for her and tried tackling her, but she was too quick and closed the door, causing him to face-plant it.

She peeked her head out the door.

Coast was clear…

She sprinted towards the kitchen, diving in and sliding to a stop on the wooden floor.

"Gah! Oh, Skie-Chan! What are you doing?" Sanji asked, turning around and looking at her.

Skie jumped up, putting her back up against the wall next to the door, her eyes shifting back and forth, Mission Impossible theme going through her head.

"Hiding from Moss-Head." She said.

"Still?" Sanji laughed, "You're funny. Anyways, sit down, breakfast is almost ready.

"…'kay." Making sure he wasn't hiding under the fridge, she sat down at the table.

About five minutes later, the rest of the crew came in, except for Zoro, whom was no where to be seen.

Skie sighed in relief. "Whew…" she grinned as a large chocolate chip waffle was placed in front of her. "Thank you Sanji!" she said happily, "You're the best!" and she started digging in.

Sanji grinned stupidly, hearts buzzing around his head as he handed out the rest of the food with a hint of pride.

Skie was halfway done with her waffle, Luffy on his fifth, when Zoro stepped in.

Skie wasn't even facing the open door, she just knew it, she could feel the glare.

She turned her head, her fork still in her mouth.

Zoro's eyes narrowed at her, and she returned the favor. Not that she was mad, she just felt challenged.

Zoro took his seat, not once stopping his little glare as he headed for the table or sat down. Even when he started easing, they never stopped glaring at each other.

Slowly, their eating speed increased…an obvious contest had started.

Sanji struggled to keep up as they demanded more waffles, both of them now eating more than Luffy had, forks and waffle bits flying.

"More!" They said at the same time, holding their plates out.

"…" The rest of the crew just watched as the battle raged. After a while, they all left, except for Sanji, who kept making waffles (only because Skie was asking).

_Approx. 1 hour later._

Skie and Zoro were both sprawled out on the floor on opposite sides of the table.

"Ugh…" Skie groaned, her tongue sticking out.

"I…I blame you." Zoro managed to say.

"Shut up, Moss-Head." Skie said.

-s-e-a- -m-o-o-n- -s-e-e- -y-o-u-

The next day, there was even more tension between the two. Every time one of them was in a room, and the other walked in, the rest of the crew could actually feel the electrical anger buzzing around them.

It was noon, and lunch had just ended, Skie was helping Sanji with the dishes because Zoro was out on deck and she refused to go out there.

She was drying off a frying pan when Luffy and Zoro walked in.

"Sanji! I'm hungry!" Luffy whined.

"YOU JUST ATE!" Sanji yelled.

Zoro went to the fridge to get a beer, then saw Skie and glared at the back of her head because she didn't' turn around.

Luffy went to poke Skie, Zoro stepping behind Luffy to drag him out of the kitchen before Sanji exploded.

Too late, Skie was poked, and startled.

She swung the frying pan behind her.

"Gah!" Luffy ducked and…

**BANG**!1!

The pan connected with Zoro's face and he froze, unmoving.

Skie's eyes widened, but she didn't take the frying pan off of his face. "…"

Zoro slowly leaned away from her, falling onto his back and hitting the ground unconscious.

"OMG! I killed Zoro!" Skie yelled.

"Hardly. You knocked him out. Good one." Sanji grinned.

Skie glared at him and poked Zoro in the leg with her shoe.

"Ha ha! What're you doin' Zoro?" Luffy laughed squatting down next to him and poking him in the shoulder.

"I'll go hide now." Skie said, running out of the kitchen and handing Sanji the frying pan.

-s-e-a- -m-o-o-n- -s-e-e- -y-o-u-

_About five minutes later_

Skie was up in the crow's nest, her eyes never leaving the kitchen door. Sanji and Luffy had yet to exit.

"Maybe he killed 'em." Skie thought out loud, "He'll be mad enough…"

Then, her worst fear happened.

Zoro stepped out of the kitchen.

"yeek!" she said quietly, ducking down so only her eyes and her forehead were out of the crow's nest.

Zoro looked around, then up at the crow's nest, and to her absolute horror, he spotted her.

"Skie!" He yelled.

"Gah!" she ducked down fully into the crow's nest.

She heard him start to climb up and she went over to the other side, waiting for him to reach the top.

"Skie!" he suddenly popped up over the edge.

"Nyaa!" she jumped backwards, landing on the deck safely.

She looked up at the crow's nest, not seeing him. "…!" she looked around, "Aw crap! Where is he?" she said.

"What's up Skie?" Luffy asked, coming out of the kitchen and sitting next to Usopp by the mast.

"Zoro's tryin' to kill me!" She yelled.

"Again?" Usopp said.

"Nonsense!" Skie felt a hand on her shoulder and froze, she slowly turned around to see a grinning Zoro.

'wait for it…' thought Nami, looking over her newspaper at the two.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Skie screamed bloody murder.

"I'd never hurt you Skie-Chan!" Zoro said, then hugged her like she was a teddy bear.

"!" the crew out on deck's eyes bugged out.

"Leggo!" Skie yelled, blushing.

Zoro put her down and smiled, "I just wanted to apologize for being a jerk to you all the time…" he said, frowning a little bit.

Skie subconsciously took a step back. "Who are you and what have you done with Zoro?" she said.

"I am Zoro!" he said happily.

"Yeah…What's that? Sure! I'll help you with the kitchen!" She said, yelling at no one, "Sanji's callin' me…gotta go!" she zoomed into the kitchen, leaving a trial of dust.

"What's wrong?" Sanji asked when Skie threw the door open and slammed it shut, keeping her back against it.

"ZORO'S GONE CRAZY!" Skie yelled.

"Why? What'd he do?" Sanji asked, "Did he try to throw you overboard again?"

"No! Worse!" Skie yelled.

"Worse? What'd he do? I'll kill him…" Sanji growled.

"He _hugged_ me!" Skie said.

"EH?" Sanji raised an eyebrow. "He gave you a hug?"

"YES!" Skie yelled.

"SKIE!" Luffy yelled.

"What?" Skie opened the door and looked out, seeing luffy standing directly in front of her. "Ack! What is it?" she demanded.

"You broke Zoro!" Luffy said.

"I what?"

"You broke him! He's being too nice!" he said, pointing at his first mate.

Zoro was sitting next to Nami, just happily chatting. Although Nami looked a bit confused.

Sanji walked over to the door and looked over Skie's shoulder, seeing Zoro talking to his precious Nami-San. "ZORO!" Sanji stormed past Skie, "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Talking." Zoro stated, grinning.

"Shut up, idiot."

"No need for name-calling Sanji." Zoro looked hurt.

Skie glared at him, "ALIEN!" she shouted, but no one paid any attention to her.

Nami smiled at Sanji, "Sanji-Kun, we were just talking about the weather." Nami said.

"Okay!" Sanji said, kissing Nami on the cheek before giving Zoro one more look and turning around to head back into the kitchen.

Skie stepped out and edge slowly towards Zoro, then stretched out her arm, poking him in the back of the head.

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow." Zoro repeated, not sounding annoyed or angry at all.

-s-e-a- -m-o-o-n- -s-e-e- -y-o-u-

_The next day_

Zoro was being nice to _everyone_. Even Sanji! He had helped set and clear the table, then helped Usopp with ship repairs, and any favor anyone asked him.

"Zoro, will you get me some food?" Luffy asked.

"Sure." Zoro said happily, heading into the kitchen, "Sanji? Can I get some food for Luffy."

"No." Sanji said.

"Hmm? Why not?"

"Shouldn't you know this by now? Not until dinner. Only Skie-Chan and Nami-San get food in between.

"Ah…okay then…" Zoro walked back out of the kitchen, "Sorry Luffy, no food until dinner."

Luffy's sulked, "Hey? Where's Skie?" he said.

Skie glared at the straw-hat boy from up in the crow's nest. No way was she falling for this. Zoro was just trying to lead her into a false sense of security so he could grab her, then tie her to a log and throw her overboard.

"I don't know. Why?" Zoro asked.

"I'm bored." Luffy said, then walked away.

"Okay then…" Zoro shrugged and sat down by the mast, smiling to himself as he slowly fell asleep.

-s-e-a- -m-o-o-n- -s-e-e- -y-o-u-

_The next day_

Zoro was still acting…happy and cheerful.

And Skie was slowly started to realize that he really wasn't planning on throwing he overboard…she'd just knocked the mean right outta him.

Zoro was busy helping Usopp with patching up a small hole in the hull. When they were done Zoro headed back up on deck and sat down on the railing, crossing his arms and leaning back, closing his eyes.

"…" Skie stepped next to him and poked him in the side, making him twitched and fall over.

"Ow! Oh! Hi Skie-Chan." Zoro grinned at her.

"Uh-huh…" Skie was going to test just how nice this guy really was. "Your stupid." She said.

"Hmm? That was mean." Zoro said, sitting up and his shoulders slumped.

"And ugly."

"You know-"

"And you have moss growing on your head."

"Hey now!" Zoro stood up and looked down at her, his arms crossed. "Stop that!" He said.

"Or what?" Skie taunted.

"Hmm…Or...I don't know. I'm not good with threats." He shrugged.

Skie's jaw dropped, "WHAT?"

"Yeek! Bug!" Usopp yelled suddenly.

"I'll kill it for ya!" Zoro said, walking passed Skie, but tripped, face-planting the deck.

"Ack! Zoro! You okay?" Skie poked him.

"OW! SKIE! THAT WAS YOUR FAULT!" Zoro yelled angrily.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up, then shrugged. '_Well, he's back to normal I guess_' they all thought. Except for Luffy '_I wanna tangerine…_' he thought longingly.

Skie stepped back, "WHAT? IT WAS NOT!"

Zoro stood up, rubbing the huge bump on his head, "YES IT WAS! YOU HIT ME WITH A FREAKING FRYING PAN!"

"Eh? That? That was two days ago." Skie said.

"Two days? You KNOCKED ME UNCONSCIOUS FOR TWO DAYS?" he roared, baring his teeth.

"No. You were awake!" Skie yelled.

"I was not! I just woke up!"

"…So you don't remember?" Skie asked.

"Oh jeez. Remember what?" Zoro said.

"Um…being nice? Like…Sanji nice?"

"WHAT? I WAS WHAT? I didn't call you Skie-San did I?" Zoro demanded.

"No."

"Oh good." Zoro sighed in relief.

"You actually called me Skie-Chan."

"AAARGH! I'll KILL you!" Zoro yelled.

"Yay! Zoro's back!" Skie gave him a bear hug before turning around and running off.

Zoro looked both confused, and he was blushing, "What the HELL?" he yelled.

"Well, you hugged her first." Luffy laughed.

"This happens to much…" Nami sighed, rubbing her temples.

"I did WHAT? This is a dream! I'll wake up soon!" Zoro said. "OW! Why'd you pinch me?" He glared at Luffy, grabbing the front of his shirt and lifting him off the ground.

"To show ya that you're not sleeping." Luffy said.

"…NOOOOOOO!" Zoro fell to his knees and screamed dramatically.

"Drama Queen Moss-Head!" Skie's voice yelled from somewhere on the ship.

"Dang it Skie! I BLAME YOU!" Zoro stood up and started searching the ship so he could find her and tie her to a log before throwing her overboard.

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Ha ha. I'm awesome.

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! And roll! Told ya next chapter would be comin' fast! And here ya go! EVERYONE BE HAPPY!


	21. POTGM Special: Part 1

**CHAPTER 21**!

DEH CHAPTAH OF CELEBRATION! W00t!

This one's for all my readers! I love ya! –glomps- (And sorry for any 'ooc'ness for the new arrivals…)

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The tension between Zoro and Skie had subsided. Well, at least the tension from Skie. She sort of seemed to forget about it. Zoro was still grumpy though, of course.

They were docked at an island, to restock their food supply and so Nami could get a new wardrobe.

Skie wandered off by herself into the very large city. The tall buildings stretching out into the distance.

Skie put her hands in her sweatshirt pockets and walked through the crowds in the street. Several people tried to sell her something, but she just shook her head and kept walking, growing steadily bored by the second.

That is, until she head a familiar voice from an alley. She walked down and turned the corner. She looked down it, seeing one of her bestest pals getting thrown into a large iron cage, filled with several other kids her age.

One of her eye brow's twitched, she knew everyone in there. Not all of them personally…but still!

There was Bibs, Kelly, Tasha, Sarah, Muff N' Z-boots, Thomas, Aimee, Wanako, Krystn, Mr. Thumbsup, Billie, Monkey, Kree, PirateKid, Mei, and Shloop. (tell me in your reviews if I forgot anyone...and you shal appear in the next part!)

Skie cracked her knuckles, getting a little ticked off that all her pals were being shoved into an iron cage. She didn't really think about _why_, she just thought about how bad she should beat the creeps up.

"AYE!" She roared, stepping into the alley.

One of the guys looked at her, the others were out of sight inside the truck/cart thing. "Ack! It's her!" he said loudly, he looked like a…clown?

"Buggy? What the hell?" Skie said.

Then, stepped out Arlong, Don Krieg, and Kuro.

Her eyes widened. "…Frick." She said, her shoulders drooping.

"Skie!" Yelled Bibs, "Get us out of here!"

"I remember you! The one who got drunk on chocolate milk!" Kelly said, "Hi!"

"Skie's here? That means the rest of the crew's here too right?" said Tasha, "Like Zoro…?" she started drooling.

"Go Skie! Beat 'em up!" Sarah cheered, everyone else started cheering also.

"HELLO!" Skie yelled, pointing at the four guys, "DO YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE? LUFFY ALMOST _DIED_ FIGHTING HIM ALONE!" She pointed at Arlong, "_LUFFY_! I'm SKIE, not LUFFY!" Skie snapped.

"…She's right. We're doomed." Said Billie.

"Oh, nice." Thomas rolled his eyes, putting his back against the wall of the cage.

"Anyways." Skie said, "What do you want with my friends?" she growled, seeming to get over her little panic attack.

"They wanna KILL US!" Muff (N' Z-boots) shouted.

"Actually, we were going tie them up at the town central, therefore luring you out."

"WHY?" Aimee sounded irritated.

"Because, she's a straw hat right? We bet she's the weakest one there, so when we get her, which would be easy, she would be bait for the rest of the Straw Hats!" Buggy said, "CURSE LUFFY!" he yelled.

"YEAH!" Kuro, Arlong, and Krieg yelled.

"Dude, she's so gonna kill you." Wanako grinned.

"And why's that?" Kuro asked, the rest of them chuckling at the statement.

"Because, morons, you called her weak. Which will probably remind her of her arch nemesis Derek, and therefore, since she's a total nut, she'll picture you all as Derek's crew and beat the crap outta you." PirateKid laughed.

"She'll beat us up when pigs fly." Arlong said.

"They do, idiot. At least, they do here." Kree said.

"…She's still just a human!" Arlong hissed.

"You dang prejudice fish." Shloop said, "You can't say that, 'cuz Luffy beatcha up."

Arlong crossed his arms and pouted.

Kreig sighed, "This is getting idiotic! I'm awesome! Therefore! I shall be the one to capture…her…?" Krieg looked at Skie with wide eyes.

"Holy –censored-!" Shouted Buggy, hiding behind Krieg.

Kuro and Arlong's jaws were touching the ground, "WHERE'D SHE GET THOSE?" they both yelled at the same time.

"COOOL!" Everyone in the cage yelled in unison.

"Kill 'em Skie!" Krystn said.

Skie had a black jacket, looking exactly like a female version of Neo from Matrix, when they're entering the building to save Morph.

She had a machine gun in each hand and her eyes had angry anime fire in them. "Prepare to be annihilated!" she said in an Arnold voice.

She pulled the triggers and held them down, countless bullet shells falling to her feet. Krieg put his bullet proof new armor out in front of him, Kuro vanished, Buggy was in pieces (literally) and Arlong was behind Krieg.

Kuro reappeared behind Skie and put one of his cat claws at her neck.

"Skie! Look out!" several of them yelled.

"BACK FIEND!" Skie threw her head back, smacking Kuro in the nose, blood spraying out of his nose as he fell onto his back, "OW!" he yelled.

"WHO'S THE WEAK HUMAN? I'LL KILL YOU DEREK!" Skie ran forward, dropping the machine guns. "Muff! Quick, your bag!" Skie yelled.

Muff nodded, throwing her backpack through the bars, Skie caught it, and pulled out a pair of spiked brass knuckles she tossed the bag back to the cage, Monkey catching it and giving it back to Muff.

Skie was no where near as strong as Luffy, but the spiky brass knuckles made up for that.

She roared, swinging her fist directly at Krieg's face.

"GAH!" Kreig ducked, and Skie hammered Arlong in the nose, bending it. (it was easy to break 'cuz Luffy already broke it)

"Not again!" Arlong said as he flew backwards. He slammed into a brick wall, but got up a second later, looking ticked off as he readjusted his nose.

Skie was trying to hit Kuro, who kept dodging her.

"You're wearing yourself out!" Mr. Thumbsup yelled.

"Slow down!" Krystn said.

Skie swung at Kuro, who once again disappeared and she ended up hitting the brick wall behind him, leaving a crumbling dent.

Skie still had the anime angry fire in her eyes, but was panting. "I'm…not tired…" she said, then went to punch Kuro but her fist just sort of flopped and swung down. "Gah…" the fire in her eyes vanished and she blanked out, toppling over.

"I told you we were doomed." Billie said.

"Oh hush." Mei sighed.

-O-M-G-

"Well, we're all set to leave. Everyone on board?" Nami asked.

"Where's Skie?" Luffy said, looking around.

"Oh jeez. Not again!" Usopp sighed, "She's still in the town."

"Well then! Off to find Skie-Chan!" Sanji said, jumping back out on deck.

"Hurry up or we'll miss it!" A little boy said, grabbing his little sister's hand and speeding up. "But I don't wanna see a girl die!" the little girl yelled.

Sanji put his leg in front of the boy, stopping him, "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Four really strong pirates kidnapped a girl and say they're gonna kill her unless the Straw Hats show up!" the boy said, "I don't wanna see her die, I just wanna see the pirates!" and the boy ran off, his sister in tow.

Sanji looked back at his crew, "You don't think…" Sanji started.

"Let's go." Zoro said, and the Straw Hats headed back into the town.

-L-Y-K-E- -O-M-G-

Skie slowly opened her eyes, yawning, "Ah, that was a weird dream." She mumbled, still out of it.

"SKIE! YOU MORON! THIS ISN'T A DREAM!" Bibs screeched in her ear.

"Gah! Bibs! What're you doin' here?" Skie said. Then she looked around.

She was up on a tall large platform. The iron cage next to her. She was lying on her stomach, her head and hands through the holes of a guillotine. She looked up, seeing a large, and very sharp blade twenty feet above her neck. To her left was the cage, to her right were the four famous pirates who captured her.

"When I get outta here, you guys are dead! You hear me? D E D!" she said.

"You're in a guillotine Skie. It's probably best not to aggravate them." Said Thomas.

"Crap. I'm about to have my head chopped off. And my hands! How can I draw stuff without my hands!" Skie just started panicking.

"Don't worry Skie! Zoro'll come and save ya!" Kelly said.

"WHY? He hates meh." Skie sounded calm again.

"Because! He likes ya!" Krystn said.

Skie blushed, "Does not!" she yelled. "He tried to throw me overboard!"

"He's just hiding his feelings." Aimee said.

Mr. Thumbsup and Thomas looked at each other, pretending to gag.

Billie sighed, "I'm bored."

"BORED?" Muff yelled.

"MY HEAD HURTS!" Skie yelled.

"It won't for long." Kuro said.

"Oooh! Creepy! Get away from me, cat-boy." Skie said.

Kuro narrowed his eyes but continued searching the crowd for the Straw Hats with his three partners.

Monkey, Kree, Mei, and Wanako were playing rock paper scissors. "Ooh! Let me play!" Skie said.

"Alright." They alls aid.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

Kree got paper

Mei got Rock

Wanako got Rock

Skie got Scissors.

"HA!" Kree said, "Paper beats rock!"

"But scissors beats paper!" Skie grinned.

"And rock beats scissors!" Mei and Wanako said.

"Crap! I lose." Skie sighed.

Mei and Wanako started again.

Mei got Rock

Wanako got Rock

"Pick a different one!" Krystn said.

They were about to start again when a voice was heard from across the large city central (picture Rouge Town)

"SKIE!" roared Luffy, charging through the crowd, the rest of the Straw Hat pirates by his side.

"Shall we do it?" Kuro asked.

"Sure! Off with her head!" Buggy said.

"Alright, Queen of Hearts!" Skie yelled angrily, "I dare you!"

"Skie! You MORON!" Bibs said.

"Stop TAUNTING THEM!" PirateKid tried kicking her though the bars, but her leg wasn't long enough.

"Dare accepted!" Arlong grinned and pulled a lever, and the blade fell…

"SKIIIE!" Everyone shrieked.

She closed her eyes tightly, waiting to feel the sharp blade…but didn't.

She looked up, seeing why she wasn't dead yet.

And she saw…

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ENDING IT HERE! Nya ha!

I don't know when I'll update! But guess who it is! Go on, guess!

**_ And I want at least thirteen reviews until the next chapter! So if everyone reviws, there you go!_**

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! And roll!


	22. POTGM Special: Part 2

**CHAPTER 22**

**POTGM SPECIAL: PART 2**

Well! I got enough reviews! (and a chocolate caramel creamy deluxe ice cream from SANJI) So here it is! And sorry to Hannah, Tina and Taru for not putting them in the first part! –gives cupcakes of apology- **AND I'm sorry for any out-of-characterness from everyone else. Juggling a bunch of OCs is NOT easy! So, sorry if your character is not…your character…**-gives everyone cupcakes of apology-

By the way, I don't know when the special will end…it'll end when I feel like ending it! And don't worry, EVERYONE'S gonna be in the special 'til the end.

Anyways, back to the story!

_**ZOMFG! WHO SAVES THE MANIACAL IDIOT?**_

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Skie looked up, seeing why she wasn't dead yet.

And she saw…

Now, the guillotine blade was wide. Like…two feet wide. And to give the people being executed a little _less_ pain when getting their heads and hands hacked off, there were weights on the top, the death was almost instant.

But, being the nice guy that he is, Buggy decided to duct tape long jagged shards of glass on either side of the blade. So Skie would end up getting stabbed, then would stay like that until the glass shattered, and the blade would finally come down onto her neck.

Skie felt a drop of something hit her cheek, making her blink.

"You alright?" Skie's rescuer asked.

"Yeah…" Skie nodded slowly.

"Who the heck is that?" Wanako said.

Everyone was cocking their heads to the side in the same directions, anime question marks popping up everywhere.

"I dunno." PirateKid said.

"Don't recognize me, huh?" The guy grinned. He had spiky blond hair, with a black jacket on, and a sort of belt going over one shoulder where his large sword sheath was over his back. He had obviously used dark baggy jeans on and a pair of thick black boots.

There was a large sword keeping the blade from chopping Skie's head off. Some of the glass had broken and flown into the boy's arm, blood dripping onto the ground.

"No. Way." Skie said.

"WHO IS HE?" The Straw Hats yelled from the crowd below.

The boy grinned, "Name's Cloud." He said, looking down at the pirate crew.

(and FYI Cloud is one of my bestest online pals EVER. My first real online friend. He ROCKS and his name on Neopets (where I met him) is darkcloud011, I just call him Cloud. And I gave him Cloud's sword and jacket/shirt thing because I'm awesome like that)

"Didn't hear you. What was your name again?" Muff asked.

"I thought I just said my name. It's not as cool when you have to repeat yourself." He said, pouting a little.

"Oh. Okay. Who's he?" Muff asked Mei.

"He said his name was Cloud." Mei said.

"Cloud? The Final Fantasy Cloud?" Thomas asked.

"That's the one, I'm guessing. Look at the cool sword."

"Yeah. Have you seen the movie? Advant Children?"

"That was awesome!"

"CGI was great."

"HELLO? Still here!" Skie yelled.

"This is irritating. My head hurts." Kuro said.

"MUST DESTROY!" yelled Don Krieg, sounding like a robot as he pointed a gun at Cloud.

Cloud's eyebrow twitched in anger, "Wanna fight…?" He taunted.

"Ooh…he's cool!" Luffy laughed.

Sanji and Zoro climbed up onto the platform.

"Skie, you okay?" Sanji asked.

"Yeah. Except some glass cut up my neck…" she said, "Oh, and there's a freaking sharp piece of metal threatening to chop my head off right above me."

Sanji joined Cloud in giving the four pirates a death glare.

"Hold still so I can cut you outta that thing." Zoro said, drawing one of his swords.

"If you say so…" Skie said sarcastically.

But before Zoro could do anything else, Don Krieg had opened fire. Everyone in the cage ducked down, the bullets flying over them.

Cloud grunted and his sword split in two. He used half of it to keep the blade from ending Skie's life, and the other one to deflect the flurry of bullets. "WILL ONE OF YOU GET RID OF HIM?" Cloud barked.

"GOMU GOMU NOOOO…"

Everyone looked at Luffy.

"…PISTOL!" Luffy's fist connected with Arlong's jaw, sending him flying.

"WRONG GUY!" Skie yelled.

"Although I give him points for punching down the fish…" Kree said.

"Oh hush!" Krystn sighed.

Zoro and Sanji ran forward.

"Oni…Giri!" And quicker than anyone could see, Zoro zoomed past Krieg.

Sanji, knowing that the full effect of Zoro's attack would come later, swung his leg upward, shattering the gun in lots of itty bitty little pieces.

"I MUST WIN!" Krieg yelled, still sounding like a flipping robot. Then, he reeled backwards, his armor splitting in two and blood spurting out of his chest as he stumbled backwards and off of the platform.

"Cool. Wish I had some…3D GLASSES!" Monkey said happily.

"It's already in 3D!" Mr. Thumbsup yelled.

The other three pirates just watched Krieg get pwned, not really caring. They all thought he was annoying anyways.

"Our turn!" Kuro said, grinning arrogantly.

"How the hell am I supposed to fight when Skie's still strapped to a guillotine?" Cloud yelled angrily.

"Like someone like you could actually fight…" Kuro laughed.

(OMG! CLICHÉ/CHEESY INSULT!)

Cloud's eye once again twitched and his eyes met Kuro's, making him freeze. "What'd you say…cat-boy?" he asked icily.

"Ha! You made him aaaangry! He's gonna kiiiill you!" Skie sang.

Arlong clawed his way back up onto the platform, several rocks hitting him in the back of the head from the angry crowd, "Lousy…angry…stupid humans!" he said.

"Hey, Sunshine, I got the clown, you take out him." Sanji said to Cloud, motioning to Kuro.

Luffy used his rubber powah and pulled himself up, "And me and Zoro got Arlong." He said.

"Sunshine?" Cloud echoed, glaring at Sanji. He swung his sword arm up, and the entire blade just went flying up high into the air, when it started coming back down, he waved his arm and blue energy started swirling around his sword, and with one swing, a sort of blast of that energy hit the broken guillotine blade, sending it flying into an empty building with a loud 'KABOOM'

"IT'S CLOUD, DANG IT!" he yelled, then charged at Kuro, taking his seriously sudden rage swing out on the poor unfortunate soul.

Luffy and Zoro started at Arlong, Luffy using his gattling gun and Zoro from any and all angles, Arlong having a hard time keeping up with both of their improved skills.

Sanji grinned at Buggy, "Don't think I've ever had the pleasure of fighting you…" Sanji said, tapping his shoes on the platform.

"You'll regret meeting me!" Buggy said, laughing.

"Wanna bet?" and their fight started.

"And where does that leave us?" Shloop said.

"In a cage." Sarah said, "While we get to watch four totally awesome guys beat up three not-awesome guys."

"True dat." Bibs said.

"What does that even mean? And get me outta here! How do I get out of this thing?" Skie said.

"Try pushing the button." Billie said, pushing the small black button the front of the guillotine.

Billie was outside of the cage.

"HOW'D YOU GET OUT THERE?" Mr. Thumbsup yelled.

"Easy." Kree said, also out of the cage, "She chewed her way out." Kree pointed at a missing bar in the cage, making a gap big enough for everyone to squeeze out of.

Skie pulled herself free of the guillotine and looked at Billie, "How'd you do that? You got…steel teeth or something?"

"No. That bar was made of wood." Billie grinned.

"WHAT? You noticed that?" Buggy yelled, nearly getting his face slammed in by Sanji.

"YOU PUT A WOODEN BAR IN A CAGE FULL OF LUNATICS?" Kuro yelled, using his cat-claws to keep Cloud's two unusually wide swords away from his head.

"I was hoping they wouldn't see it!" Buggy said, "GAK!" He flew backwards as Sanji nailed him in the gut.

"IDIOT!" Arlong yelled, and was then punched in the face by Luffy as he was distracted.

Zoro criss-crossed the blades at his neck, "Don't move." He warned.

"Uh-oh…" Skie said.

"Uh-oh? What uh-oh?" Wanako asked. Everyone but Mr. Thumbsup, Thomas, Shloop, and Mei, were out of the cage. They thought it would get too crowded if they got out otherwise.

"I have feeling…someone's coming." Skie finished.

"About time!" Kuro said, grinning.

"What? Who's coming?" Cloud said, kicking him in the stomach and making him stagger backwards before quickly readying himself again.

"Backup. That's what's coming." Cat-boy laughed.

"You rang?" A voice called.

Everyone's head turned to the other side of the very large square, and the people parted.

And there was the entire Black Cat crew, Buggy's crew, Arlong's crew, and Don Krieg's rebuilt armada. Krieg was still unconscious by the way.

"Oh –censored-" Skie said.

"Hey! No swearing!" Bibs scorned.

"Well, EXUSE me, princess!"

"Wow. A whole freaking army of pirates…against us…we're doomed." Aimee said, "DOOMED I TELL YOU!"

"I'm gonna sing the doom song now! Doom, doom, doo-" Kelly was cut off by Zoro telling her to shut up. "YOU SHUT UP!" she retorted.

"I don't wanna!" Zoro yelled.

"WE ALL GONNA DIE!" Usopp yelled.

"Don't worry guys! We have backup too!" Skie grinned.

"…We do?" Thomas asked.

"Yep!" Skie said, and as if on queue, the sound of a helicopter was heard as the aircraft suddenly appeared from the horizon, hovering over the square.

"HEY GUYS!" Tina called from the open helicopter door.

"TINA!" Kelly cheered.

"I'm here too!" Hannah, said, stepping out from behind Kelly, another girl was there too, but she was quiet.

"That's Taru. She's quiet." Tina said, pointing her thumb back at Taru. She just smiled.

Arlong kicked Zoro in the stomach while he was distracted, sending him flying into the cage and hitting it just hard enough to make it slide backwards and slowly start to tip over the edge.

"GAH!" The four still-caged pirates starting to fall off the high platform.

Zoro turned around, trying to grab one of the bars, but his hand missed by an inch.

The crowd below screamed and ran out of the way as the heavy iron cage plummeted towards the ground, before it stopped in midair.

Hannah and Bibs had their hands out, both of them looking at the cage in concentration, and using their combined powers, slowly dropped it to the ground, placing it gently on the stone floor.

Mei, Shloop, Thomas, and Mr. Thumbsup exited the cage, getting ready to deffend tehmselves against the army of pirates. Tina, Hannah, and Taru dropped down out of the hellicopter next to them, the aircraft them flying away and off into the distance.

"GET READY TO FIGHT!" Buggy yelled, punching Sanji in the side of the head. Sanji staggered backwards, blood dripping down his face and staining his blonde hair. Buggy laughed and zoomed over in front of his section of the army.

Arlong jumped down off the platform also, standing proudly in front of his mermen, his arms crossed arrogantly.

Kuro grunted and twirled around, his cat-claws flying, and forcing Cloud to back up before he was sliced to ribbons. Kuro vanished, only to reappear in the leading position of his crew, pushing his glasses up with he palm of his hand, grinning.

"You're all weak…!" Don Krieg said, standing up and stumbling over to his crew, turning around and glaring at the army of lunatics/awesome pirates/weirdoes/all of the above.

"ATTACK!" All four evil-pirate-captains roared.

"AYE!" The pirate army charged, swords and pistols drawn.

"Let's get ready to RUMBLE!" the good guys all yelled at the exact same time, and sounding uber-cool doing it.

The crowd was gone now, leaving the battlers alone on the empty, soon to be battle-scared city square.

And so the epic battle began…

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HAHA! I end it again! Seven pages is a full chapter in my book. PLUS I only have ten minutes left to type right now…

OH NO! Zoro didn't save Skie! My bud CLOUD DID! Yay! So, should Zoro save Skie later on? **If I get at least 3 reviews saying so, he will, kay? Kay.**

_BUT let me make somethin' clear! The only type of relationships that will go on in POTGM 1 will be brother/sister between Skie and the rest of the crew!_ Although...Notice how I only said POTGM 1...and the sequel wasn't mentioned for the brotherly thing...hmm...WELL! Enough talking about that stuff!

(**POTGM** **P**sycho **O**n **T**he** G**oing **M**erry)

_**I need thirteen reviews again!**_

And if anyone else didn't show up in this chapter, tell me and you'll show up in the fight.

Oh, and Cloud? YOU ROCK! –glomps- And so do the rest of my readers! Everyone will get their own little action scene, don't worry!

_But you hafta tell me what your weapons are!_ Otherwise I'll come up with something myself that you might not like (like a golf club or a metal baseball bat) because I'm weird like that.

Remember 13 reviews! **ROOTBEER AND ROCK**!


	23. POTGM Special: Part 3

**CHAPTER 23**

**POTGM SPECIAL: PART 3**

Here it cooomes…!

Bravo! Bravo! oiratachi marude SAYAENDOU

Bravo! Bravo! tomo ni wakachi atta namida

Bravo! Bravo! oiratachi kyou mo SAYAENDOU

Bravo! Bravo! kakegae no nai One Piece

You know…truthfully, I can't wait for any more reviews**! I WANNA TYPE THIS UP AND PUT IT UP HERE! DANG IT ALL YOU LAZY UN-REVIEWING PEOPLE**!

-is spazzing-

**MUSHT GO ON WITH THE FIGHTING BEFORE HEAD EXPLODES**!

-starts typing frantically-

I'll let the non-thirteen reviews slide this time…but for the next update…! **I WANT MORE REVIEWS**! –foams at the mouth-

**Cloud**: No sudden movements or she might attack –laughs-

**Skie**: -pouts- And for those of you who didn't post your weapons…have fun with the metal bats and/or golfing clubs! –laughs like a hyena- Hope you all like reading! Because this is the longest chapter **EVER**! It's all fight scenes though, so it ain't boring!

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The two sides charged at each other, weapons raised and adrenaline rushing.

Skie jumped down from the platform, Cloud and the rest of them landing down next to her. "This'll be FUN!" Skie grinned, then kicked off the ground, speeding at her enemies like a bullet.

But that's just an exaggeration. As it happens, someone else was speeding at them like a bullet.

"Thomas?" Skie slid to a stop, an anime question mark popping up over her head.

He was just a blur as he zoomed left and right, confusing the poor, idiotic pirates.

When he stopped and actually stood still, he was standing in the center of a circle of pirates, and a wide grin on his face. He laughed as the pirates turned around and yelped to see him where he wasn't a split second ago.

One of the tougher looking pirates grunted and stepped forward, a freakin' huge axe in his hands, and an arrogant toothy grin on his face. Or…it would have been toothy if he'd actually brushed once in his life, 'cuz he had no teeth.

He put his arm down and swung the axe heavily, directly for Thomas' skull.

The axe imbedded itself into the ground as he leapt into the air, before vanishing.

"Eh?" the bulky pirate grunted stupidly, then toppled over, several small knives stuck in his back.

Everyone turned around, seeing a still-grinning Thomas fly by them, a sword in each hand as he sliced up anyone who was unfortunate enough to happen to be standing where his swords sliced through the air.

"You jokers had enough yet?" he grinned. Like he would actually stop if they said 'no'.

He laughed and halted in front of a big guy, not as big as the guy with the axe though, and threw his leg in the air, kicking him under the chin and sending him to the ground, down for the count.

He grinned and jumped over, continuing to slice down anyone in his way.

Tina laughed and ran right into the fight, her arms outstretched like she was pretending to be an airplane, and using her mental powers to topple anyone over who was in front of her.

"Yosh, who's next?" She grinned, twirling around.

Several angry pirates stood up, their swords glinting in the light of the sun, which was slowly being cast over by clouds.

She grinned, "BRING IT!" she yelled.

And they did.

At least twenty pirates tackled her, one of them shouting 'DOG PILE'.

It was like a movie. Tina vanished as they all tackled her, like she had the football in a super bowl game, the entire enemy team surrounding her. Then…

KRABOOM!

All the pirates went flying in different directions, Tina brushing herself off, "Jerks! I'll kill you!" She said, putting her arm out.

She waved her hand, and a big pirate was lifted up into the air.

Then she waved her arm in a fast circle around her, using the poor guy as a sort of bowling ball and knocking everyone around her down.

"Strike! I win!" She cheered.

Billie ran head-first into the crowd, her swords flying.

"EAT METAL!" she yelled, twirling around like a tornado as she zoomed through the Buggy's crew, then smacked into a freaking giant, wearing a freaking suit of metal armor. Obviously part of Don Krieg's crew.

"Ow…" She sat up, rubbing her head and looked up at an arrogant looking pirate.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" He growled, picking her up by the front of the shirt and off the ground.

She growled, baring her teeth, "Put me down you walking pin cushion! Or so help me, I'll rip your spine out and beat you with it!"

He winced at the graphic threat, but grinned and tossed her to the ground, "I dare you!" He said, laughing, "No sword can pierce my armor!"

"Wanna bet?" She grabbed her swords and flipped them around in her hands so when she held them, they were pointed behind her. "YAARGH!" she roared and charged at him, beating the living daylights out of him by slamming her sword hilts into his skull repeatedly, denting the sol called 'invincible armor'.

"DOOM TO YOU!" He yelled, then shot his hand out and in a fist to punch her in the gut.

She tsked and moved out of the way at the last second, before slicing the armor he was wearing into ribbons, letting the sheets of metal fall to the ground, leaving nothing but a freaked-out looking guy in white and red heart boxers.

"AAARGH!" he ran off crying. "Idiot…" Billie grinned, then turned around to continue fighting.

Kelly looked around at the pirates that had surrounded her, her eyes narrowed.

"You're surrounded, kid! Surrender or die!" One of Don Krieg's crew/armada laughed evilly.

"Hmm…surrender or die…surrender or die…" she thought for a moment, "That's a tough one. I know! How about this?" she snapped her fingers smugly and out of nowhere, a huge whip of water surrounded her and flared out at her attackers, sending them all flying.

"Awright, who else wants some of this?" she laughed and formed the water into a large ball in front of her, and made it look like a bomb with a little piece of 'string' sticking out of the top.

"Uh-oh." Several pirates said at the same time.

"KABLAM!" Kelly yelled, and the water exploded on everything but her and her nearby fighting allies, sending the recovered pirates flying again. "HAAA!" she yelled, "I so rule."

She heard a gun being fired and put up the water around her, so the bullet's direction was altered as it hit the surface, missing her by an inch.

"WHO DID THAT?" she yelled, twirling around. "HYA!" water surged forth from behind her like a wave out of nowhere and crashed into several pirates.

"AHH! I CAN'T SWIM!" Luffy ran out of the way of Kelly's water wave of rage.

"I wanna fight too!" Mei said, then sighed, "But I don't have a weapon…I know!" a light bulb appeared over her head. "I got it! I'm a genius! It's incredible!" she picked up a stick and grinned.

"HERE I COME!" she roared, charging at the pirates.

"With a…stick?" a pirate said, then the section Mei was charging at started laughing.

"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE STICK!" Skie's voice yelled from somewhere.

"HAI!" Mei jumped in the air, and swung the stick like a baseball bat, catching the first pirate who laughed in the gut. "hyyyaaaAAAHHH!" she swung her arm and he went flying off into the distance until he was a little speck, like Team Rocket! OMG!

"Ha!" she said, grinning.

The rest of the pirates grunted, drawing the swords, but still were a little taken back. I mean…it's just a stick? Right?

"WRONG!" Mei snapped the large stick in half. "Now it's two sticks!"

The pirates sweat-dropped.

Mei charged again, blocking and parrying with her two pieces of wood, and doing quiet well, actually. "Hiya! Eat that! And this! SPLINTER! HA!" She laughed as she saw the pirate she just smacked in the arm receive a huge splinter before flying off as well.

Mei stopped dead, making the other pirates stop as well, all of them looking confused as she started rubbing the two sticks together, slow at first, then faster and faster.

And then poof! They burst into flames.

"FLAMING STICKS OF DOOM!" Mei shouted.

"AHHH! RUN FOR IT!" The pirates yelled as Mei chased them down, laughing.

Sarah watched in amusement, "Hmm…" she thought for a moment, "Guess I gotta fight too. Okay!" she said happily. She started walking towards the pirates, and some of them started charging at her, swords drawn and ready to slice her into lots of little tiny pieces.

She went into a kung-fu pose and grinned, "Lets see you try…" she said."

The pirates looked at each other stupidly before shrugging and then resumed trying to kill her. She jumped in the air, and kicked one of them in the face, sending him flying off into the distance. She landed on the ground, then sweep-kicked three pirates off their feet.

She stood up, brushing herself off calmly before realizing there was a sword poking against her back. Her eye twitched and she looked over her shoulder, seeing a guy grinning at her, "I'm gonna kill you!" he said.

"Well duh." Sarah growled, "That's usually a goal when stabbing someone in the back." Then, without warning, she twirled out of the way, grabbed the guys arm and then started swinging him around.

Think Mario64 with Bowser.

She laughed and threw him into the crowd.

"You're dead!" another pirate yelled behind her, pointing a pistol at her.

Sarah froze, then ducked down head-butting the guy in the stomach before he had time to react.

He wheezed, falling over with the wind knocked out of him. "Guns are dangerous!" she scolded, taking it away from him. Then snapped it in half with her hands and continued fighting off the others around her.

Aimee was already in the fight, swinging her aluminum bat around like a maniac. She laughed and smacked somebody in the back of the head, sending him flying into another pirate.

"I am having way to much fun with this for my own good." She said, blocking a sword attack to her side.

"Fun? You want fun? I'll show you fun!" a buff but not to attractive and hairy guy yelled. He swung a spiked mace over his head.

"Ho boy…" Aimee exhaled and held the bat out in front of her, ready for anything.

The guy laughed and swung downwards, the spiky mace of doom speeding towards Aimee's head.

She grunted and jumped backwards, the mace barely missing her. Aimee kicked off from the ground and sped forward, slamming the bat in his face with a stabbing motion.

He stumbled backwards, blood spurting out of his nose, "Argh!" he yelled, swinging his mace again.

Since she was in midair, she couldn't dodge, but she had a baseball bat, didn't she?

She swung it hard again, and hit the mace like a baseball, and the spiky end flew off, smacking an unsuspecting Don Krieg in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground.

She didn't notice because she was too busy beating the stuffing out of everyone around her with the aluminum bat of doom.

Krystn strung her bow and grinned, shooting several arrows at once, everyone hitting their targets. She grinned in satisfaction, stringing her bow again.

Krystn ducked as a heavy sword was swung over her head from behind her. She twirled around, kicking the merman in the stomach, but that barely did any damage on the supah tough fish-man.

Krystn jumped back and strung her bow again, and turned the fishman into a sushi pin-cushion. She grinned as he fell over.

She bent backwards in an arch, so the back of her head was almost touching the ground, and it was like slow motion for her as she watched the heavy metal club just miss her.

She laughed and threw her foot up, slamming the guy in the chin and making him fly backwards. She put her hands back to catch herself and flipped herself onto her feet, and quick as a flash she once again had several arrows strung. She twirled around, firing the arrows one at a time, and several pirates fell to the ground.

"Not bad." Usopp said, stepping next to her with his slingshot pulled back.

She grinned, "Yeah, I know." She said.

They stood back to back, keeping the pirates at bay with their awesome marksmen skills.

Tasha cracked her knuckles, glaring at the jerk that had just thrown her half way across the city hall. She had landed without a scratch though, using her reflexes to land on her feet.

The guy had brass knuckles on his hands, his muscled arms tensed as he grinned at her, ready to fight, and arrogantly confidant that he would win.

She sighed, "I know that face. Listen pal, you're not going to beat me." She said, "I'll give you one chance to run. And that's it." Tasha said.

"Why're you giving him a chance?" Skie asked, standing next to Tasha with her arms crossed behind her back.

"Hmm…good point! Hyaa!" Tasha ran forward, dodged the dangerous brass knuckles, and punched the pirate in the face, grinning as she heard a satisfactory 'crack' as his nose shattered.

"GAAAH!" He cried out, falling backwards with blood spraying from his nose.

The guys accomplices looked at their fallen comrade, then roared, charging with their various weapons dawn.

Tasha wasn't intimidated.

She jumped passed them, dodging the swords and slamming her arms into two of their throats, sending them to the ground. She put her foot down on the fallen guy's chest, who had passed out, and took off the brass knuckles, putting them on her own hands.

"Shall we continue?" she said, then leapt forward at the unsuspecting evil pirate crew members.

Bibs wasn't fazed at all as she was surrounded by several buff, tough, and ugly pirates, some from Buggy's, and some from Kuro's. There were a couple guys from Krieg's armada also. And one merman.

They all advanced, swords pointed out and threatening to stab her.

She shook her head, "I wound' do that…" she said.

She put her arm out and the metal cage they had been trapped in only minutes before, lifted off the ground and hovered over her. "Mwa ha ha! Die!" she yelled, then the cage swirled around her, knocking all of them back as the cage crashed into them painfully.

The merman got up, growling angrily.

"Oh, you want to fight me again? You're an idiot!" Bibs said.

The metal cage broke apart, each bar individually splitting away from the cage, and pointed at the merman.

He blinked, his eyes widening.

Then, without warning, the many bars flew at the merman, beating him senseless, the bars hitting him like baseball bats. Or sticks. Or possibly golf clubs.

When he was down for the count, the swirled around Bibs protectively as more pirates stood up to fight her.

She uncrossed her arms, and in one smooth motion, her arms were above her head, then she brought them down, the bars shot outwards, slamming sideways into two people at a time, knocking the wind out of them.

Monkey was zooming through the crowd of pirates, which were still numbering MANY. There were freaking tons!

She skidded to a stop, the sound effect included.

"Alright…now what?" she said to herself, thinking quickly as a large rabid looking panther stepped in front of her. A black cat pirate holding the chain leash from the cat's spiked collar. He was grinning.

Monkey gasped, "You want me to fight the kitty?" She said, her eyes growing wide. "But…but…but…Hmm…What would Cally and Synderz do?" she wondered.

"We'd fight it of course." Cally said, flying in out of nowhere and perching on her shoulder.

"What? But aren't you like…related or something?" Monkey questioned.

"An enemy is an enemy!" Sydnerz said.

"Affirmative." Cally said, nodding, then jumped off Monkey's shoulder, sitting next to Synderz.

Monkey nodded, "'Kay. I gotcha." She said, then grinned at the large cat and its owner. "You guys are going down!" she laughed.

The cat lunged at her, taking its tamer by surprise and forcing him to let go of the leash. Monkey slid out of the way, grabbing the leash as the cat ran past her. It was big enough to be a small horse, which gave her an idea.

She jumped onto its back and threw the chain around it, using it as a sort of rein. She laughed as the cat tried bucking her off, but she eventually got control and sped through the crowd, her angry black kitty tackling and knocking down everyone in her way.

"Is that Monkey on a panther…?" Muff thought out loud. "Huh…oh well!" she turned back to the opposing super tough looking merman. He had spikes running all along his body. He was obviously some kind of puffer fish merman. And they were poisonous. Edibly, that is. But the barbs did paralyze. She had to be careful.

Muff took her backpack off and dug through it, grinning as she found what she wanted, "Ah ha!" she said, taking out a long metal pole. "I just have to keep my distance…and…" she jumped back as the merman aimed a punch at her.

She pointed the pole at him and grinned, and a metal boxing glove sprang out, nailing the merman in the gut and making him slide backwards.

The metal pole shrank back into itself again and clicked. She put it back in her backpack and took out something else.

"Weird…but I can deal with that!" she said, brandishing the golf club like it was a sword.

"A…golf club? HA HA!" the merman started laughing like an idiot.

"SHTOP LAUGHING AT MEH!" Muff roared, jumping forward and hitting him the side with the dangerous putter.

He flew to the side, slamming into another merman, both of them falling over.

She gulped as the two of them glared down at her. Great. Now she had to fight both a hammerhead merman, AND a puffer fish merman.

Muff shook her head, erasing her doubt and ran forward, taking the two by surprise as she ran past them, holding the golf club sideways and hitting them both in the gut at the same time. She roared and then switched it back and ran past them, turned around, and slammed the golf club into their backs the same way, knocking them out cold to the ground.

PirateKid looked around at her surroundings. She currently had her arms pinned behind her back, and a sword at her neck from a black cat pirate. The pirate holding her was one of Krieg's armada.

She growled angrily, infuriated. "You wanna try it?" she said menacingly. She wrenched herself free, ducking the sword so the guy behind her got the blow. She grabbed the black cat's sword arm and twisted it, making him do several flips in the air before hitting the ground.

She laughed, grabbing the sword out of his hand and turned around, blocking a sword from stabbing her through the chest. She grinned and pushed back, sending her attacker sliding back.

She charged forward, shouldering him then kneeing him in the stomach, making him double over. She kicked him to the ground and leaned back, dodging an arrow shot from a crossbow.

She was ticked off now, but still was grinning because she was having so much FUN!

She ducked another sword, slicing the guy before charging over to the creep with the crossbow. She punched him in the stomach, then swung her fist upwards, giving him an uber painful uppercut.

"Who is next in the PirateKid house of pain?"

Wanako sighed, annoyed by the idiocy of the pirate in front of her. The idiot thought he could hit her with a sword that was two times as big as her? Ha. Yeah right.

She glared at the obviously-struggling-with-the-weight-of-the-sword pirate and tapped her foot. "Are we going to fight any time soon?" she asked.

He narrowed his eyes, and swung the sword sideways at her, trying to cut her in half.

She leapt up, landing on the sword's flat side and stayed there as he finished his swing.

"Wha…?" he looked around, noticing she had vanished.

"Ahem. Over here Tiny." Wanako grinned. He turned to see her standing on his sword and gasped, "Gah! How'd you do that?" he demanded.

She ran forward on the sword, kicking him in the face and flipping towards the ground, landing on her feet, "Magic!" she lied, waving her hands above her head. "Oooh!"

He blinked, shaking his head, "You're a liar."

"And you're an idiot!" she laughed, then suddenly grew dangerously serious. "Enough playing around. It's kick butt time!" she said. Then jumped into the air, swing-kicking the side of his head and sending him to the ground, out cold.

She turned around and looked around for someone else to pummel, only to have an arrow nearly hit her. She stepped backwards, putting her hand out and catching it at the last second. She looked at the arrow then glared at the person who shot it.

He trembled at her glare.

"You dead." She said, then snapped the arrow in half and went to pummel him.

Shloop had a book in her hand. The Dictionary, if you're interested in what book it was.

She looked around, and was predictably surrounded by members from every crew.

She roared, and valiantly threw the book at the nearest guy, who happened to be a merman.

It bounced off his head and he blinked, rubbing where the book had hit him.

"He's immune to literature!" Shloop shrieked in horror, "Noooo!"

Skie jumped down next to her, handing her a remote, "They won't be immune to this one!" she said, "Just push that button and run for it. Kay?" and Skie was off.

Shloop looked down, "Em…kay?" she pushed the button and looked up, seeing an enormous square object speeding right towards her.

"Gah!" she shoved her way through the pirates, knocking them down like bowling pins.

CRASH!

She turned around, seeing a giant book had just barely missed her.

Shloop climbed to the top of it, and read the cover, "The Complete, Unabridged, History of Everything." She blinked. "Cool."

She jumped down, landing squarely on top of a pirate who was about to squish Cally and Synderz, who weren't paying attention to anything but the beetle in front of them.

He fell over, knocked out cold. "HA!" she laughed, kicking him.

Taru stood silently, her arms at her sides. She was always quiet, and was against fighting, unless someone got on her nerves that is…

She stood there, fuming as a pirate continued poking her in the arm with a sword. Her eye twitched and her teeth were clenched angrily, if she bit any harder, her teeth would probably shatter.

"C'mon! Do something!" the pirate said, annoyed. "All of your other friends are fighting!" he poked her a little bit harder, a small drop of blood dripping down her arm.

Oh, that did it.

"ALRIGHT! THAT'S IT!" Taru roared. She grabbed the guy by the throat and threw him over a nearby building, her shoulders heaving up and down and her eyes flashing dangerously. "ANYONE ELSE WANT TO TEST ME?" She roared.

She glanced to her side, seeing a gun pointed at her. She dodged it at the last second, then sped at him, running past him, but grabbing his arm as she did so, then stopped, twirled him over her head, and threw him into an unconscious puffer fish merman.

"DEATH TO THE ANNOYING!" She yelled, then ran over to a lamp post, wrenching it out of the ground.

The eyes of the pirates standing nearby bugged out.

Roaring like an enraged t-rex, she swung the post back and forth, plowing over several shocked pirates at a time.

"Mood swings much?" Kree said, watching Taru kick major pirate butt.

She looked around her with shifty eyes, then, pulling from one of her pockets, she pulled out a…

"Micky Mouse 75th Anniversary Monopoly game?" Skie questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Collectors Edition!" Kree grinned.

Skie gave her a thumbs up.

Kree opened up the box and pulled out the game board, them smacked an advancing pirate in the face as he tried to stab her with a dagger.

She smacked another pirate and took out one of the little houses, "Hmm…Ah ha! I know!" she threw it up in the air above a group of pirates whom were ganging up on Cally.

"You cats keep getting in the way!" Skie yelled, "Move it or lose it!"

Cally jumped between the legs of one of a pirate, who looked up as a large shadow appeared above them, "HOLY WHAT?" he yelled.

The a large, heavy, TV-sized , black plastic house fell on him.

"YEAH!" Kree cheered. "Who wants a hotel?" she threw a handful of the red buildings up in the air, and it started raining mini-hotels (they were about as big as a bunk bed) made of red plastic, squashing any pirates who were in the way.

Then, she went on a smacking-spree with the game board, and throwing the chance and community cards like throwing knives.

Mr. Thumbsup couldn't help but be amused at all the carnage going on around him. "Guess I should help out." He said, grinning. He took two guns off of his belt, clicking them into place.

"Fun time." He said, grinning.

He pulled the trigger several more times, pirates dropping here and there.

He kept at it until a group of them were tired of getting picked off. They roared, charging with random weapons, including another spiky mace.

Mr. Thumbsup jumped backwards into the air, dodging the mace and a sword and firing down, and the two pirates dropped to the ground.

He landed on the ground several feet away, still shooting the two guns nonstop.

In a matter of seconds, he was closed in inside a large circle, everyone of them either aiming a gun or crossbow at him.

He grunted, still grinning and leapt in the air at the last second, the entire circle basically shooting themselves down. While he was in the air, a few bullets zoomed at him. He twirled around, shooting his guns and deflecting those bullets along with killing off the ones who shot them.

A bullet grazed his arm, barely brushing the skin, but tearing the sleeve of his shirt. He grunted and whirled around, spinning one of the guns in a circle and firing the other gun at his attacker.

He pointed the gun behind him and stopped spinning it and fired, shooting a tall pirate who was about to chop his head off.

Hannah was on the outskirts of the crowd, she had zoned out at first, watching all the awesomeness, but snapped out of it and was ready to fight.

She heard a familiar noise and turned around, seeing her dog Houdi running towards her, Cally and Synderz zoomed past her, straight into the thick of the fight, several pirates getting knocked down in the Dynamic Duo's wake.

"Houdi!" Hannah said happily, glomping the dog.

He grinned, "Hi." He said.

"Houdi? Can I have a sword? No wait…" she tried thinking of a fantabulous weapon.

"YO! HANNAH, LOOK OUT!" Skie yelled.

Hannah turned around, seeing a pirate with an axe about to cut her in half, "Ah! Houdi! I wish for an anvil!" she said.

KLUNK

A heavy metal anvil fell on the pirate.

"Phew…thanks boy. Now, about my weapon?"

"BEHIND YOU AGAIN!" Skie yelled.

Another pirate threatened to kill her right behind her, his sword already swooping down.

"AAH! HOUDI! SWARM OF BEES!" she said.

A swarm of angry bees appeared right over the guys face, and he stopped his swing at the last second, and ran screaming with bees buzzing around his head, his arms flailing wildly.

"One wish left…I wish…"

"Wish for a million dollars!" Skie suggested, standing next to her.

"But I wanna fight!" Hannah said.

"Ah…then may I suggest a sword?"

"That's what I said! Okay, Houdi! I wish for a sword.

And a sword she got, and major butt-whupping she did.

"Crud! We're late!" Arashi groaned.

"I know that! Sorry I couldn't find that stupid helicopter in time, we would've got to go with Taru, and Hannah, and Tina…" AlchemicPirate said, sighing.

They were on a boat and it was just about to reach the island.

You could see the fight from here, pirates, heavy objects, Skie, flying everywhere. She saw one of Luffy's arms too, as he finished a Gomu Gomu Pistol, probably.

They finally beached on the island, and the two pirates took off, zooming through the abandoned streets and into the fight.

Arashi had silver cat ears and a silver cat tail, she clenched her clawed hands aggressively as she sped into the city square. It was simply bustling with pirates, half of them no longer able to fight.

She grinned and charged at one, who was already in a fighting position and readied for her attack.

But he wasn't ready for this. Arashi grinned and jumped in the air, her ears pinned against her head. She put her fist back, yellow and blue electricity swimming around her fist.

Without warning, her fist came down, getting the guy right in the chin, and she sent him flying.

He crashed into the platform, making it rock back and forth dangerously.

The guy obviously was pretty tough, he got back up and ran at her, his arms started sprouting daggers, and he plucked two off, one in each hand and threw them at her.

"Devil Fruit eh? Well, I've got one too!"

She put her arm up, and a wall of electricity rose up in front of her, vaporizing the daggers before they hit her.

"HYA!" she twirled around and shot her arm out, like she was punching him, and a whip of lightning struck him, once again sending him flying, but not into something as soft as wood. He hit a stone wall and crashed through it, knocking him into next week.

Her silver tail flicked in happy satisfaction, "HA!" she yelled, grinning.

AlchemicPirate ran in after Arashi, and was immediately knocked down by a pirate that went flying after being hit by Taru and the lamp post.

She shoved the guy away in midair and slid to a stop on the ground, landing on her feet. She growled, "I'll have to get her back for that…but that can wait!" she said, after ducking a boomerang with a bladed edge. "Hey!" she yelled, then ducked again as the boomerang came back.

The guy who had the boomerang leapt in the air, catching in his bare hand, but it didn't do any damage, despite it's sharpiness.

AlchemicPirate put her arm out and brought it down, a storm cloud forming high above them, and where she pointed her hand, a bar of lightning zapped down, making the ground between a bunch of bustling pirates explode and sent them all flying.

"Heh…" it started raining, hard, more lighting lashed out, none of it random, all of the lightning hitting their targets. One 'accidentally' sending Taru flying into Luffy, who helped her up and then continued his share of the butt-kicking.

"Whoa!" An arrow whizzed by her, making her suck in her gut and lean back, falling down. "Jeez!" she glared at the guy with the bow. He was grinning like a flipping maniac and strung another arrow.

"You crazy." AlchemicPirate said.

"What? And I'm not?" Skie pouted.

"Oh don't worry, you're crazier." AlchemicPirate said, grinning.

Skie sighed in relief, "Oh, good."

AlchemicPirate waved her arm again, and the arrow-happy guy flew clear over the buildings, and probably into the ocean.

(_My fight scene shall be longer, since I'm awesome and I EARNED IT! Anyone who says otherwise shall have no sugar for a week! Hey wait…that's only bad for me…But still mortally un-fun for you!_)

Skie, after popping in people's fights here and there at random to help out, was growing tired of doing just that. She sighed, then grinned maniacally, cracking her knuckles and making the unfortunate pirate in front of her shiver.

He was member of Krieg's crew, and was almost as big as Krieg himself, but Skie had a feeling he was a sissy by the way just her glare made him shake. Heck, if Amber was here, he'd have fainted.

She ran forward, then jumped straight into the air, at least reaching the height of a three story building, before coming back down, landing right on his head, but stomped hard enough to knock the big guy out cold.

She jumped off his head and then landed on, who do you think? Zoro!

"Gah! You again!" Zoro yelled as Skie was standing on his back.

"Oops…" She grinned nervously.

"Oops? No 'SORRY ZORO'?" He yelled, pushing himself up and making Skie jump to the ground. He turned around and glared at her, pointing a finger at her. He opened his mouth to say something, but an arrow, or a bullet or something zoomed right between them, making them jump back.

Skie turned to see Cloud deflecting bullets with his two swords, or one sword that just split into two, "Sorry!" he called back, apologizing for missing one.

Zoro wasn't fazed he glared back at Skie, "Listen up, twirp-"

"YOU SOUND LIKE JAMES! OMG!" Skie yelled happily, thinking of James from Pokemon, and how he was always calling Ash a twirp.

"What? Who the hell is James? Whatever! Just stop doing that!" Zoro said.

"Doing what?"

"Jumping on me! It's irritating!"

"Irritating? Irritating…" Skie thought for a moment.

"It means annoying!"

"I know very well what it means!"

"Well good! So stop it!"

"Fine, you dang Moss-Head!" Skie stormed off into the crowd of fighting pirates with her arms crossed.

Zoro only glared after her, but his narrowed eyes widened when he saw her disappear as some sort of chain wrapped itself around her and yank her into the crowd. "Crud!" he yelled angrily.

Skie had a thick chain wrapped around her tightly, nearly squeezing all the air out of her lungs, "What the heck?" She growled, glaring at whomever it was that had captured her. "OMG, NO WAY!" she yelled.

She was looking at a character from the book she was writing. His name was PyroMetalic, a spirit of flame that claimed to be a demon of hell. He grinned up at her, "Hello again." He said, his black bangs covered his red eyes.

"Whadda YOU want?" Skie growled.

"Simple. If I kill YOU then I end up killing Elien off, right?" he asked. Elien was his twin sister. Roy, was actually a human body that the fire spirit had possessed, because he would die if he didn't claim a living body. The 'demon' enjoyed nothing else than torturing Elien mentally.

Fighting your possessed twin brother just about everyday is tough, especially when he wants to kill you…BUT get this, they have a twin link thing, that if one dies, the other does as well, but the other twin has to do the killing. If someone else killed Pyro for instance, Elien wouldn't die.

Why am I telling you this? Oh well.

Skie growled, "Ha! You'd die also!" Skie said, "Since I'm the author, you'd never be written out!" she said threateningly.

Pyro hesitated, "Nooo, you've already written me out…along with Elien and just about everyone else you've thought up, in a bunch of little notebooks. So now I can torture all of them! No where for them to run!" he laughed.

"You're creepy." Skie said.

Without answering, he pulled on the chain so Skie spun in super quick circles as the chain was pulled off of her. When she finally slowed down, she didn't know which way was up.

"Uhnn…" she groaned, staggering around.

Pyro drew his sword, the blade was black and dark purple flames licked the surface. "Prepare to die," Pyro laughed maniacally then charged, but was stopped before he could reach Skie, whom was still stumbling around like she was drunk.

"Back off." Zoro growled icily, all three of his swords out as he glared furiously at Pyro.

Pyro blinked, but grinned and took a step backwards, more flames appearing on his sword. He twirled it around and went into a fighting position in front of Zoro, but before Zoro could start, Cloud stopped him, "Hold on, can I fight him?" he asked.

Zoro glared at Cloud, "And why should I let you get in my fight?" he said angrily.

"Because Skie needs your help." Cloud said, pointing at Skie as she staggered through the crowd, several swords and bullets barely missing her.

Moss-Head grunted in frustration and ran after her, cursing.

Cloud grinned and turned to face Pyro, "Remember me?" he grinned.

"Duh." Pyro said, "But either you or the green-haired guy, I'll still win."

"Don't get your hopes too high…" Cloud said.

Pyro was the one who attacked first, swinging his sword upwards, towards Cloud's neck, only to be blocked by Cloud's sword, which he put back together. Cloud grinned and pushed backward, sending Pyro sliding away from him.

Zoro grabbed Skie's arm and yanked her back just in time for her not to be squashed by a merman with a spiked hammer.

"Be careful, dang it!" he yelled.

Skie stumbled back into the crowd, unable to keep still without falling over.

Zoro cursed again as she disappeared out of sight, several pirates obviously noticing her, and he was unable to help her because several would-be swordsman were blocking his way.

"Skie-Chan!" Sanji yelled, seeing she was unable to defend herself and was being surrounded. Closed in by a tight circle of bloodthirsty pirates.

The blonde cutie growled and ran forward, and turned himself upside down in an instant, staying up on his hands he whirled like a tornado and broke the circle that was trapping Skie. But when he righted himself in the circle, he saw Skie wasn't there. "Skie-Chan?" He said, looking around and ignoring the angry pirates advancing on him.

"UP HERE!"

Sanji looked up, seeing Skie high overhead. She grinned and came down, shockingly not landing on Zoro, and crashed into a merman. And since they were all standing next to each other, it was like a domino effect, and everyone, every single still-standing pirate, all fell to the ground.

And all of them staying down, obviously they were all a lot more worn out than they looked.

Skie stepped down and shook her head, still a bit dizzy, "Ugh…my head is gonna explode…" she thought, a sudden headache racking her brain.

Luffy stood up, "Who knocked me down?" he yelled.

The rest of the Straw Hats stood up also, Nami brushing herself off angrily, "That was a good plan Skie, but…don't do it again." She said.

Skie just nodded, sticking her tongue out.

Along with the Straw Hats, the other loons stood up too, all of them looking as if they had just gotten off a roller coaster. They looked like they had _fun_.

Cloud stepped next to Skie, ruffling up her hair and since he was taller than her, using her head as an arm rest. "Well, your Pyro guy vanished." He sighed, "I didn't even get to fight with him that long…"

Skie sighed, then poked him in the side, making him wince and move his arm. "Don't do that." She said, rubbing her hair down, "Just 'cuz you have spiky, messy hair, doesn't mean I want it." She said, pouting.

Cloud just grinned.

"Do I see a luv triangle?" Ia and Kelly asked at the same time, trotting over.

"Shay whut?" Skie asked, still irritated because of her spinning-induced headache.

"You, him, and him." Kelly said, pointing from Skie to Zoro to Cloud.

Cloud and Skie raised an eyebrow, "Me and Cloud? Heck no. He's like meh adopted big brother." Skie said.

"Yep. And she's like my adopted little sister, whom is fun to annoy."

Skie punched him in the arm.

Zoro had an eyebrow raised too, "Yeah? Well…well same with me." He said.

Skie got bambi eyes, "Really?" she asked.

"What? Stop looking at me like that." Zoro said, edging away.

"I LUV YOU TOO BIG BROTHER!" Skie said, glomping him.

"GAH! Back! Back I say!" Zoro yelled, squirming.

The loons and Straw Hats laughed until they fell over.

Sanji looked slightly jealous. "You're like my little sis too Skie!" He yelled truthfully, waving one arm in the air.

The blond cook pouted when Skie didn't hear him over Zoro's loud complaints.

"What's with the love fest? It's making me gag." An angry voice said. Dust flew up into the air as a large red plastic hotel was shoved out of the way, and Buggy stood up, dusting himself off.

"You didn't think we would be that easy to kill…" Kuro growled, also standing up from the rubble.

"Did you?" Arlong finished, kicking his way out of a building he had been thrown into.

"Because…because…You can't do that! I'm too awesome!" Krieg yelled.

The other three pirates sighed and rolled their eyes.

"Well, looks like we still have some major baddies to fight." Skie said, "Who's up for more violence?"

Everyone raised their arms in the air and yelled "YOSH!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Well, you know the drill!

**_Thirteen reviews or no update_**!

Three times longer than any other chapter! Three cheers for me! I have no life! Well, I do. There's just nothing to do at the place I am currently at. –shrugs-

Oh well.

**THIRTEEN REMEMBER**! It's my lucky number! Oh, and September 13 was my birthday! I'm fifteen now! YAY! NEXT YEAR I CRASH STUFF WITH CAR!


	24. POTGM Special: Part 4

**Chapter 24**

**POTGM SPECIAL**: Part 4!

Last part! After this, everything just goes back to normal.

Skie gets the glory in this story. Oh well! HA HAA! I can do that because I'm a mean person. But not as mean as Bibs. Who is Wicked. That's right. Wicked. As in MEAN!

_Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair  
In 77 and 69 revolution was in the air  
I was born too late into a world that doesn't care  
Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair _

When the head of state didn't play guitar,  
Not everybody drove a car,  
When music really mattered and when radio was king,  
When accountants didn't have control  
And the media couldn't buy your soul  
And computers were still scary and we didn't know everything

When pop-stars still remained a myth  
And ignorance could still be bliss  
And when God Saved the Queen she turned a whiter shade of pale  
When my mom and dad were in their teens  
And anarchy was still a dream  
And the only way to stay in touch was a letter in the mail

When record shops were still on top  
And vinyl was all that they stocked  
And the super info highway was still drifting out in space  
Kids were wearing hand me downs,  
And playing games meant kick around  
And footballers still had long hair and dirt across their face  
I was born too late to a world that doesn't care  
Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

Awesome song of awesomeness right there.

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Kuro cracked his knuckles, glaring at them, "You failed my plan to become wealthy, I'm going to slice you all into little itty bitty red ribbons," he said.

"…" The three other pirates edged away from him, except for Krieg, because he's stupid.

"DOOM TO YOU!" Don Krieg roared, then charged forward, his spiffy new freaking huge spear/bomb waving around in the air over his head.

"Luffy, I think you rattled his brains when you fought him last…" Skie said, taking a step back as the spazzing Krieg charged.

"CHOP CHOP, BUZZ SAW!" Buggy screeched, his detached legs spinning at them.

Kuro grinned, suddenly vanishing.

"They're attacking all at once!" Luffy yelled.

"Thanks for the input Mr. State the Obvious!" Bibs said, glaring at him.

Cloud swung his sword like a baseball bat, using the momentum of his attack to knock Krieg's attack off and send him sliding back, "Heads up, Skie," he shouted.

"Hmm? What?" Skie said, then fell backwards, only doing so to avoid getting her head sliced off by Buggy. "JEEZ!" she said, sitting up. She glanced behind her, and her eyes widened, "WHAT THE H?" she said.

All of her fellow psychos, and Usopp and Nami were in a large iron cage, Kuro sitting cross-legged on top of it, looking rather please with himself. "Like it? I've been working on that trick for a while now…" he grinned.

Skie looked back at her pals, who were doing everything they could to get out. Punching, kicking, scratching, and biting the bars.

"Don't even try it, the cage is reinforced, plus it's got a special chemical in it that cancels out any Devil Fruit powers you might have…" the cat-man jumped down from the cage and landing on his feet lightly, his claws clinking slightly. "Ready to die?" he grinned at Skie.

"I don't wanna die!" Skie yelled, she grinned back, "Are a ready?"

"HA!" Kuro laughed, then vanished and Skie jumped in the air, a cat claw slicing through the air under her as Kuro reappeared behind her. "Ha HA!" she laughed again, pointing down at him.

He smirked, crossing his arms.

"Oh crap…" she said as she started falling down, flapping her arms like a drunken bird.

"Gomu Gomu noooo…PISTOL!" Luffy's fist shot out of nowhere, nailing the unexpecting Kuro in the gut, sending him flying.

Skie landed on Luffy's arm and bounced back up, "SQUEEE!" she landed, predictably on…

"GET OFFA ME!" Zoro roared, Skie sitting on his back.

"Dude! Stop going where I'm about to land!" Skie complained, falling backwards as Zoro stood up, blocking Krieg's spear, the explosion sending him flying backwards, and Skie sliding away slightly, still sitting down. "Hay!" she yelled.

Krieg swung his spear down again, Skie rolling out of the way and landing on her stomach, the explosion happening right next to her and sending her flying right into an open window about seventy feet away on the top floor of a three-story building.

"Skie-Chan!" Sanji yelled, he glared at Kuro, fire in his eyes. "First, you crap-jerks lock Nami up…that was bad enough. But striking a girl?" He shook his head, "You're dead,"

"He's sooo cyute!" Several girls in the iron cage sighed.

"Thank you my lovelies!" Sanji purred, then stepped to the side, the spear crashing next to him, but the explosion didn't budge him as he held his ground.

Krieg blinked, looking at him, then got a full face of steel-toed shoe.

"Oooh, that's GOTTA hurt!" Kelly said, wincing as she saw Don Krieg speed passed the cage, throwing up stone tiles from the paved ground as he crashed back into the earth.

Zoro was busy fighting off Kuro, claws and swords flying every which way.

Luffy was fighting Buggy again, having a hard time because he kept coming apart at the last second, dodging every attack.

Cloud was fighting Arlong, both their freaking huge swords clashing in midair.

Skie sat up, "Oww…" she groaned, rubbing her head. She brushed plaster and dust off her shoulders and her sweatshirt. "What happened?" she said to no one in particular.

"Skie? Wuzzup," she jumped, hearing a voice next to her. She looked to see yet another one of her characters from her book. He was only about maybe eight inches tall, looking to be around sixteen or seventeen. He had pointed ears, and bright fiery colored hair (I mean that literally) that reached his chin. He had a loose white long sleeved shirt and white baggy pants. He looked like a little mini-elf, but actually was the spirit of a phoenix in humanoid form.

"OMG! Zee!" Skie said, picking up the little cutie and hugging him like a stuffed animal, "You're sooo cyute!" she said.

"Ack! Too much love!" Zee said, squirming.

"So, how long are you gonna be here? Pyro vanished like, five minutes after he showed up."

"Hmm…I dunno! I was just wondering what the heck I'm doing here." The little human-looking phoenix said, jumping up on top of her head and sitting down cross-legged.

"Hold on, shorty," Skie said, then basically jumped out the window, leaving the trashed and empty room behind her.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Zee yelled, holding onto her hair for dear life.

Skie landed by the iron cage, almost crashing into it, Zee looking a bit shaken.

"Skie! There's a…what's that on your head? It's so cute!" Kree said, pointing up at Zee, who grinned and flexed his little arms. "I am adorable, aren't I?" he grinned.

"Grow up, bird." Skie said, sighing, she put Zee on top of the cage and looked back at the fighting, something which was being oddly ignored by her. She was growing, dare she say it…bored?

"Why am I getting bored when there's an awesome fight going on in front of me?" she said, not flinching as Buggy's torso slammed into the cage, then zoomed back to the rest of his body, Luffy having just punched him in the gut.

"Ooooooh…" the psychos in the cage all looked at Tina.

"What?" Skie said, crossing her arms.

"I'm doing that," Tina said, raising her hand.

"What's the point of-"

"BLONDE!" Zee roared, interrupting Skie and jumping from the cage top all the way to Sanji, landing on his head, and yanking on his hair.

"WHAT THE HECK?" Sanji yelled, stopping a kick in mid-air, and stumbling around, trying to brush Zee off.

"Zee! Stop that! He ain't Jerrad!" Skie yelled.

"Who's Jerrad?" Thomas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's the guy who actually killed him…it's really quite amusing because Zee was spiritually bonded to Jerrad's cousin, Jake. Who wears one of his old feathers in his headband…" she grinned.

"…you're a weirdo." Bibs stated bluntly.

Skie sighed heavily, suddenly feeling VERY bored. She crossed her arms and sat down, ignoring the shouts from several of the girls from the cage for Zee to get off Sanji and stop trying to manually make him bald.

"What are you doing?" Kelly asked Tina.

"Hold on, she's almost there," Tina said, using her telepathic powers to influence Skie and make her extremely bored.

"What? What are you doing to her?"

"Remember that one time, when she got uber bored? Remember what happened?" Tina grinned.

Kelly's eyes widened, "Yeah…" she grinned, "Excellent."

Kuro laughed, "Alright, enough of this foolishness!" he vanished from in front of Zoro. And the swordsman only had to blink and he was trapped, standing in a small iron cage that appeared out of nowhere, the bars far too thick to cut.

"Dang it!" he yelled, "Luffy! Sanji! Watch it!" he shouted.

Sanji looked up, grabbing hold of Zee around the waist and holding him out in front of him, "What the heck was that for?!" he demanded, shaking the little creature.

Zee shook his head, dizzy. Then looked up at Sanji, "Hey! You're not Jerrad…"

"NO FREAKING DUH!" everyone shouted from the cage.

Skie grumbled something about how she wished she was playing a video game right now.

Cally and Synderz where nowhere to be seen, neither was Houdi. The only ones there were the Straw Hats, Cloud, the psychos, and Skie. Everything else was gone.

"Hey! What's this?" Luffy said, looking around from his large iron cage that had just appeared, trying to break free but the anti-devil fruit cage wouldn't let him use his powers.

Sanji, a split second later, was also trapped in a cage. Zee was dropped to the ground and he squeezed out of the bars, running over to Skie, "Hey! Skie! Do something!" he said.

Kuro appeared in front of her, a large iron cage held up with one arm, "You know what? I think it would be more fun to just kill her right now. What do you think gentleman?" he asked, looking back at the three other pirates.

"That would be fun!" Arlong grinned.

"Yay for bloodshed!" said Buggy.

"I RULE ALL!"

"…shut up Krieg." Buggy said.

Skie sighed, standing up. Zee was sitting on her shoulder, baring his slightly pointed teeth at the four pirates. Skie blinked, feeling something tug at her wrist. She looked down and her eyes widened, seeing the bracelet. (chapter 16!)

"Oh…My…GAWSH!" she said, twirling around and glaring at Tina, "Whadja do that for?!" she said, waving her braceleted arm around.

"What? What else are we supposed to do? Oh and by the way, duck." Tina said.

Skie did so, a cat-claw barely missing her. "Hey!" she said angrily.

The earth rippled underneath her, and a fire hydrant popped up next to her, spewing candy.

"What is this?" Buggy said angrily.

"I RULE ALL!"

"You're like a broken record! Shut up!" Arlong yelled.

Skie grinned, "I love this part, check this out," a huge pair of white feathered wings suddenly appeared on her back, unfolding and shadowing her and Kuro, who stumbled back, his eyes wide.

Black cat ears appeared on the top of her head, making Zee freak out, "CAT!" he yelled, his genetic fear of the felines kicking in.

"Calm down, spazz," Skie beat her wings once, and sped forward, knocking Kuro down with one of her wings as she zoomed towards the other three.

"YOU CAN'T BEAT ME! I HAVE A SPEAR!" Krieg yelled, then swung it at her.

Skie put her arm with the bracelet on it forward, a large fiery sword appearing in front of her, blocking the large spear, and the explosion did nothing but make Krieg himself slide back.

"Do not mess with the psycho when she's been bored for too long!" Skie grabbed a Sugar Daddy that fell from the sky from the fire hydrant and ate it. "ZOMG I love caramel…" she sighed.

"Stop that!" Buggy said, a hand with four daggers zooming at her.

"Sharp! Sharp! Those are sharp!" she yelled.

"I'll save you!" Spiderman jumped in front of her, taking the hit before falling to the ground.

"Peter! No!" Skie ran forward, kneeling down in front of him, "Nooo! Peter!" she cried.

"…WHAT?" Buggy shouted, his hand reattaching.

"TROPICANA FRUIT SMOOTHIE!" Skie yelled, seeming to forget about Spiderman, since he vanished into thin air.

"WHAT WHAT?" Arlong yelled.

A large sized Tropicana Fruit Smoothie smacked Arlong in the side of the head, covering him in Banana Strawberry goodness.

All he did was blink, stunned into silence.

"Eleventeen! GHOSTBUSTERS!" A giant panda bear fell from the sky, speeding towards Krieg.

"…wuzzat?" he said, looking up. The giant happy looking bear landed on him on its tummy (I luv that word).

The other three pirates couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

"Who likes Starbucks?" Skie asked.

"Oh! Oh! Me me!" several of the people in the cage cheered, and several coffees or whatever appeared in front of them.

"I myself like the caramel apple cider…" Skie said, then chugged a bottle of eggnog that appeared in front of her. "Ahh…dat's good stuff. What some?" she asked Zee.

He nodded, grinning, and a little bottle appeared in front of him, and the little phoenix chugged it down.

"Pay attention!" Kuro yelled, swinging his arm at her, the blades threatening to run her through. And you know what? The blades struck, stabbing Skie through the chest.

She blinked, looking down to see five blades sticking into her. "…Ow…" she said flatly.

"Skie!" Everyone shouted, rattling the bars of their cage. Well, everyone but Cloud, who laughed. "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?!" everyone shouted. He just pointed at Skie.

Kuro raised an eyebrow as Skie grinned at him. Then the girl vanished, a box taking her place. "…?" Kuro looked at the box, as music started playing.

da dun da dun dadadada dun, da dun da dun da daaa dun, da dun da dun dadadada dun…Dun Da Da Da Dun!

And the jack in box's lid sprung open, a concrete boxing glove on a spring punching the pirate in the face, sending him flying onto his back unconscious.

"Ninja Art of Substitution!" Skie's voice yelled from up in the sky, as she was dive bombing down, her wings held tightly against her back.

"YEEEAAAHOOO!" Zee cheered, safe inside the hood of her hooded sweatshirt.

"She's alive! Halleluiah!" cheered Usopp and Luffy.

Skie opened up her wings at the last second, startling Arlong so he fell backwards and Skie swooped upwards, laughing.

"Do you like waffles?" she yelled.

"Yeah we like waffles!" said Zee.

"Do you like pancakes?"

"Yeah we like pancakes!" Luffy yelled.

"Do you like French toast?"

"Yeah we like French toast!" everyone else but the pirates cheered.

"Getgetaget can't wait to get a mouthful, WAFFLES!" Skie yelled, everyone yelling 'waffles' with her.

"Enough of this foolishness!" Buggy yelled, cracking his knuckles. He threw four knives at Skie, whom put her arm out and four separate stuffed animals that resembled clowns appeared in front of her, the knives hitting them instead.

Buggy gawked at the fallen clowns that fell to his feet, his daggers sticking out of each of them. The clowns looked somewhat like him. Ok, a lot like him.

When Buggy looked up from the clowns, he saw Skie hovering in front of him. "Gah!" He stumbled back, startled. "Hi! You just stepped on flypaper!" She said cheerfully, pointing down.

"Wha?" Buggy looked down to see that his feet were indeed stuck on a large sheet of flypaper. "Ha! SO what? Only my feet! Ack!" Skie shoved him backwards so he landed on his back on the sticky surface of the paper, unable to move. "NOOO!" He cried, struggling, but to no avail.

Skie ducked, Arlong's sword almost giving her a buzz cut. "Jeez!"

"Oi! Watch the lady!" Sanji barked angrily.

"Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair…" she hummed, drawing a picture with a stick in the ground, the Indiana Jones theme song blaring out of nowhere overhead.

The large spiked sword once again tried cutting her down, but a giant feather-filled pillow appeared, the sword striking the pillow and feathers appeared everywhere, making it impossible for anyone to see anything because of the ridiculously large amount of feathers in the air.

"It is…fineto!" Skie cheered.

"Hey! What are you? NOOO!" they heard Arlong shout, then he crew quiet.

The feathers settled to the ground, and Arlong was now visible, trapped in an aquarium, the same metal bars keeping the straw hats and the psychos in place also around the aquarium.

There was a big castle next to Arlong, about as tall as he was, fake seaweed waving from behind it.

"Ah yesh, there should be piranhas in there…" Skie said, thinking. Then shrugged and turned around, but the flesh-eating fish were already there, chasing Arlong around the castle in the tank.

"Awright! I RULE! NO ONE DROPS A BEAR ON ME!" A muffled voice shouted from the giant Panda bear. The bear was shoved off by a large pointy spear, but the panda's poofy fur keeping it from getting stabbed.

"Hey! You're still…not unconscious!" Skie said, not able to think of the right word.

"I think you mean awake, maybe?" Zee said.

"Maybe," She shrugged.

"That thing is fat!" Krieg stated angrily.

The panda gasped, its eyes narrowed, "Well! I never!" It said, in an obviously female voice. The huge bear swung one of its paws, slapping Krieg unconscious and into a wall, then the bear stood up and stormed off angrily.

"Wow," Zee said.

"…I'm tired." Skie yawned, her bracelet slowly fading. She looked around, seeing that her pals were still in cages. She only had to blink, and they weren't there, but she couldn't help but burying them in piles of Beanie Babies before she fell asleep where she stood, landing on the nearby pile of stuffed animals that was where Luffy and Usopp's cage was, the bracelet gone.

**-o-m-g-t-h-a-t-w-a-s-w-e-i-r-d-**

Skie woke up, looking around to see her familiar room on the Going Merry. "Hey! Where is everyone?" she said, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"Skie-Chan! You're awake!" The door swung open to reveal a happy looking Sanji.

"Hiii Sanji! Where'd everyone go?" she asked.

"Right as you fell asleep, they disappeared." Sanji smiled, "And as soon as we left, the Navy arrived, taking care of Buggy, Kuro, Arlong, and Krieg while we escaped."

"And Zee? What about Zee?"

" You mean that little bug thing that was pulling my hair?…um…he...vanished also…" Sanji said slowly.

Skie's eyes narrowed. "What'd you do with Zee?" she said acidly, standing up and advancing.

"I didn't do anything!" He said shaking his head furiously.

"Is that so? Sanji…are you…lying to me?" she stuck her lower lip out, fake tears welling up in her large Bambi eyes.

"…GAH! Alright! Alright fine!" Sanji through his arms in the air, "Go look in the crow's nest…" he sighed, sulking to the kitchen.

Skie raised an eyebrow, then walked out of her room, jumping up to the crow's nest, climbing up over the edge and almost falling on Zee, who was tied to a rock. Where Sanji got the rock, you'll never know.

"Zee! You're still here!" Skie said happily, untying the little phoenix humanoid. He jumped up onto her shoulder, "That blonde is horrid…all blondes are horrid!" he said.

"Hey! My hair is kinda blonde!" Skie said.

"But not blonde-blonde. Just blonde-brown. His is freaking _yellow_! Like Jerrad…" he growled, shaking his fist with an anime vein popping up on his head.

"Calm down spazz, let's go get some food."

"Yay! Food!"

"Don't do that. We don't need another Luffy on the ship."

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Whelp, end of the special. And I love my Zee so much I'm going to keep in the story for a little while. He's so cyute! I just wanna give the little guy a hug!

**Rootbeer and Rock**! And roll. Make sure to review! Once again, **thirteen reviews required for next update**. And sorry about the late one, I was…busy. Yeah, that's it. I was busy! Alright, I was lazy, I'm sowwy…truely, I am. Seriously. -_nods_-


	25. He Loves Her? He Hates Her?

**Chapter 25**

Yay! First chapter after the special! The next chapter will be out tomarrow probobly. It is now October 29, 2006 at 1:29 A.M as I'm typing this up. I finished the chapter at around 1:27ish...Anywho, my other computer tends to freeze up when I use it, and I won't be able to use this one for a while. But I'll update regularly. Like always -_nose grows longer_-

And the next chapter you ask? Why, it's the Halloween episode, silly! Yay! I love the next chapter! Everyone is so cute!

Proceed!

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Skie stepped into the kitchen loudly, everyone eating breakfast and chatting amongst themselves. Skie waited for them to say something like, 'thank you for rescuing us' or 'oh Skie! Would you like some of this here money?' But no, they ignored her.

And Skie did _not_ like to be ignored.

"HELLO EVERYBODY!" she roared loudly, making everyone jump about three feet in the air. Sanji accidentally, keyword, accidentally threw the frying pan in his hand at Zoro, who dodged the cooking utensil.

"Oi! WATCH IT!" the green-haired swordsman roared.

"It was an accident, idiot!" Sanji barked.

"Skie! We didn't see you come in! Good morning!" Nami said cheerfully.

Skie grinned. That was good, they weren't ignoring her.

"Skie!" Luffy stood up, almost knocking the table over, and charged over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and grinning. "That was SO cool! When you beat up those jerks! And with the giant bear! That was cool!" he grinned.

"Thanks Luffy. Twas nothing for an awesome person such as myself." Skie said.

"Oh come on, you sound like Usopp!" Nami laughed.

Usopp started protesting, his voice melting into Sanji and Zoro's argument on the frying pan.

"Skie? Um, Skie?" Zee asked, pulling Skie's hair lightly, getting her attention.

"Yeesh?" she asked the little orange-haired person on her head.

"Can I have some food now? Please?"

"You don't have to ask me to eat, Zee. Just, jump in! It's what the rest of us do," Skie grinned as Zee jumped from her head to Luffy's then, on the table, taking her advice a bit too literally.

The humanoid phoenix glanced at Zoro, seeing he was preoccupied with his argument, and started eating the large stack of uneaten pancakes on his plate, making sure to douse them with maple syrup first though.

"So, what's today's adventure?" Luffy said, turning to his navigator.

"Whatever the sea throws our way," Nami smiled, but her smile turned into a scowl as Zoro and Sanji broke into a fight, and an anime vein popped up over her forehead. "OI!" she roared, turning around on the two. Zoro had the front of Sanji's shirt in his hand, his other arm raised to punch him, and Sanji was just baring his teeth at him, as if daring the swordsman to hit him.

"Yes, Nami-San?" Sanji said, his attention snapping over to his beloved orange-haired goddess.

"Stop fighting in the kitchen! Take it outside," she said, pointing her thumb behind her towards the door.

"Yes, milady!" Sanji said, then with one smooth motion, swung out of Zoro's grip and swung his leg, sending Zoro basically through the door of the kitchen and into the mast.

"YOU LOUSY BLONDE! I'LL KILL YOU!" Zoro's voice roared angrily.

Sanji charged out, his angry face on again, "I'd like to see you try, Moss-Head!"

"He used my insult!" Skie crossed her arms.

Luffy and Usopp went outside to watch the fight, Nami following them just so she could get to her room and work on her charts. Skie stayed in the kitchen, laughing at Zee and wondered how he could eat a stack of pancakes bigger than he was.

"It's a spirit thing," Zee said, his mouth full.

**-Z-E-E-I-S-A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E-**

Zoro and Sanji's fight was done in about, maybe five minutes. Zoro stormed back in the kitchen and stopped at the doorway, his eyes locked on his now empty plate.

Skie looked from the empty plate, to Zoro, who was now glaring at her. "You…" He growled angrily, his teeth bared.

"It didn't do it!" Skie said, standing up as Zoro advanced. Skie really didn't feel like being tied to the ceiling again, or the crow's nest for that matter.

"Halt, strange heathen with moss growing from his head!" Zee said, standing up and puffing out his chest. Giving him his grand height of nine inches, since he was standing on his toes.

Zoro stopped, slamming a hand down on the table next to Zee, "What do you want?" he said acidly, leaning down so his face was an inch from Zee's, who didn't flinch. He looked like he did though, because the vibrations of Zoro's hand hitting the table almost knocked him over.

"I ate the pancakes!" he said bravely, not knowing the full multitude of the swordsman's fury.

Zoro's eye twitched, "You? HA!" he laughed unhumorously. "You couldn't fit a grape in your stomach, let alone ten pancakes!" he turned from Zee back to Skie, only moving his neck and head.

Skie looked around for her escape route…and…nope. Only the door. And the now-walking-towards-her Moss-Head was in the way.

Skie, acting on an impulse, kicked her feet into the kitchen floorboards and jumped over his head, landing on the floor behind him, and then ran outside.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU PANCAKE THIEF!" Zoro shouted.

"…I'm so proud!" Nami sniffed, smiling.

Skie ran through the kitchen door, Zoro basically right behind her, Zee chasing after him on his little legs, but he was going surprisingly fast.

"Luffy! Trip Zoro!" Usopp grinned. They were sitting by the mast, and Skie was heading right for them. Luffy laughed and stuck his foot out too soon, and Skie flew in the air, hitting her head hard on a stack of barrels by the mast.

"Ack! Skie-Chan!" Sanji's jaw hit the floor.

"Skie!" everyone ran over around the girl.

"Ooog…I don't feel so good," she said, looking up at the blue sky from her back. She saw the entire crew lean over her, all of them looking concerned. Sanji glared over at Zoro, who looked extremely guilty, but still slightly peeved.

Sanji looked down at her, looking angry, "You idiot-" Sanji said, but Skie blacked out before she could hear the rest of the sentance.

**-O-N-I-G-I-R-I-**

Skie's eyes snapped open a second later, everyone still crowded around her. Zee was tugging on her hair, repeatedly asking her if she was ok.

She sat up, rubbing her head. "Owww…" she said.

Luffy was jumping around, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I meant to trip Zoro!" he yelled, pointing at him.

"Oh, nice." Zoro sighed, looking angry.

Skie looked up at Sanji, but he was no where to be seen. "Where'd Sanji go?" she asked.

Nami pointed at the kitchen, and Skie stood up, wanting to know why the heck Sanji called her an idiot. She was no idiot! Well, sure, she was slow, but not an idiot!

She started marching towards the kitchen, looking determined, but was stopped by Nami's hand on her shoulder, "Skie, are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered, smiling. "Now, I have to go talk to Sanji," she said, glaring at the kitchen door.

"Well, as long as you're okay…" Nami took her hand away and went back to sun-bathing.

Luffy and Usopp had disappeared, probably into the kitchen, or experimenting with Usopp's weapons.

She turned back to the kitchen, but was stopped yet again, this time by Zoro. "Hold on, Skie? I need to talk to you…alone." He said.

Skie raised an eyebrow, but shrugged, "Ok," she said.

The two walked over by the tangerine grove, Zoro looking nervous. Skie just wanted to go and smack Sanji with a book for calling her an idiot.

"Alright, here it goes." Zoro took a deep breath and looked down at Skie, his arms crossed in front of him, "Skie, the truth is…I love you." He said, rather bluntly.

"…Wait, what was that?" Skie did _not_ believe what she just heard.

He sighed heavily, "I love you, dang it!"

Skie had no clue what to say. She was basically stunned silent, which happens…well…never. "You? …Me? What?"

Zoro leaned closer to her, his face a mere inch away form hers. "I. Love. You." He said slowly, and then leaned in to kiss her, but Skie ducked down, zooming past him, and then jumping up into the crow's nest from the back of the ship. She then jumped down silently in front of the kitchen, using that as a hiding place.

She closed the kitchen door behind her, exhaling. "Gawd…" she was blushing like crazy, then looked around, seeing Sanji at the sink. "Well, while I'm in here…Sanji!" she called.

The blonde seemed to flinch, but ignored her.

"Sanji? Sanji!"

"WHAT?" he snapped, turning around and glaring at her.

"Why'd you call me an idiot?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

He sighed heavily and stormed over, stopping in front of her, "Alright fine!" he said. "Skie, the truth is…I hate you." He said, rather bluntly.

"Whaa…?" she gaped at him. Since when did he hate her? Had he not started calling her Skie-Chan? Was that not a form of brotherly affection? JERK! Her brain screeched like an annoying seagull..

"Well…Well I hate you too!" she barked.

"Oh really?" Sanji sneered.

"Yeah! Really! In fact, I hate you more than you hate me!"

"Nu-uh! I hate you more!"

"Well you're an idiot!"

"Well you're stupid!"

"I know you are but what am I?"

Sanji's eyes flashed, "A stupid, moronic, idiot!"

"I know you are but what am I?"

Sanji grinned smugly, "Awesome," he said, knowing she'd say the 'I know you are but what am I' line. Calling him awesome on accident.

"I know I am but what are you?" she said.

Sanji blinked, "WHAT?" he roared, his brilliant scheme crashing down into a fiery mass in his brain. "You are an annoying parasite! You eat just as much as Luffy, and that bug friend of yours is a nuisance! Like you!" Sanji yelled.

"Well fine! If that's how you feel about me! I'm going too…" she tried thinking of something, "I'm gonna tell Nami you were mean to me! Yeah! She'll get mad and break up with you!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Sanji said.

"Yeah! I would! Watch me!"

"Hold up! Sto-"

"Talk to the hand!" Skie said, shoving her palm in Sanji's face as she turned to open the door.

"Skie! You in here?" the door suddenly opened as Zoro burst in, the door hitting her in the head and knocking her backwards onto the floor, unconscious.

**-N-O-T-A-G-A-I-N-**

"BWAAAAAH!" Skie sat up, her eyes wide open.

"AAAAARGH!" the entire Straw Hat crew fell backwards, "What? What's the matter?" Sanji asked.

"Why do YOU care all of a sudden?" Skie crossed her arms and turned her head away from him, giving him the cold shoulder.

"Why wouldn't I…?" Sanji said, his eyebrows furrowing as he sat down cross-legged next to her.

"Cuz." She said flatly.

"Why?"

"'Cuz."

"That's not an answer! Why wouldn't I care?"

"'Cuz! Lemme alone, jerk!" she barked without looking at him.

"…Nami-Saaan!" Sanji bawled, looking at Nami, who was sitting next to him. "Why's Skie being mean to me? Does she hate me?"

"No! YOU hate ME! Stupid idiot!" she yelled, turning and glaring at him.

"Wha? I do not!" Sanji said defensively, looking hurt.

"Oh yeah? Well! What about when you called me a nuisance, and that I was annoying, and when you called me an idiot when I hit my head?" Skie demanded.

"I never called you any of those things. And I was calling Luffy an idiot, and you must've blacked out before you heard me finish…" Sanji said.

"…Wait…" she looked around. No, she wasn't in the kitchen, where she last remembered getting hit with a door. She was where she was tripped by Luffy and crashed into a pile of barrels "So that was a dream?" she said, mostly to herself.

"Dream? What dream?" Zoro asked.

Skie jumped, shrieking and looking over at him, "YOU!" she yelled, pointing at him.

"W-What? Do I hate you too now?" he demanded.

"No! Just the opposite! Look, Zoro, I can only think of you as a brother, kay? Now shoo." She waved her arm.

"Wait, what? What do you mean 'just the opposite'?" he yelled.

Sanji and Nami smirked.

"Listen up, the only way I've ever looked at you is like a sister, or an annoying little cousin. GOT THAT?" he barked.

Skie narrowed his eyes at him, "Good. Because you creeped me out in that stupid dream. Sorry I got mad at you Sanji," Skie said, looking at him apologetically.

"It's ok…Happy ending!" Sanji yelled, hugging Skie like a teddy bear.

"Yay! Hug time!" Luffy hugged Skie, yanking an unwilling Zoro into the hug as well. Usopp and Nami laughed, joining in.

Zee was sitting on Nami's shoulder, comparing his orange hair color to hers.

"Well, what's for lunch?" Skie, Luffy, and Zee asked at the same time after the happy hug was over.

Everyone else sighed, but couldn't help but grin.

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And now it's 1:32 as I type up the finishing comments at the bottom of the chapter. That's AM by the way, just in case you forgot.  
I know I said 13 reviews, but oh well. Be happy.

Awww, the crew bonded! How cyute! Agree or I'll bite you.

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK!** and roll! Review or...or...or...The future chapters shall be annoyingly short! HA!


	26. It's Halloween!

**CHAPTER 26**

I-I know it's to late, and it's just 'cuz I was too busy/lazy to write it. I'm super sorry, guys! Truely, I am! This is the month-late Halloween chapter, first part of it anyway. I love it. Hope you guys to do. PLEASE FORGIVE MEH!

* * *

The next day, was as just as regularly the same as ever.

In short, that meant some form of chaos was going on the Going Merry. This form of chaos you ask? Well…

"SKIIIIE!" Zoro roared, chasing the laughing girl around the ship. She had a large plate of food over her head, and Zee had another large portion, a wide grin on his face. "GIVE ME BACK MY DINNER! SANJI WON'T COOK ANYTHING ELSE 'TIL TOMARROW!"

Sanji had decided to cook up an early dinner. (At 6:00) It was 6:15 now, the chase going on for about 13 minutes.

The three of them zoomed passed Nami, a gust of wind blowing her hair around her face, "Again with the chase-scene…" Nami sighed.

Usopp was laughing, laying on his back and tears in his eyes. Luffy was asking Skie if she would share every time she circled around the ship.

"Maybe," She ran by him on one side of the ship.

"If," she ran by him on the other side of the ship.

"You,"

"Promise,"

"Too,"

"Never,"

"Try to,"

"Steal,"

"My food,"

"Again!" Skie said.

"Whut? But, but, but…Awww…" Luffy sighed, giving it up because he didn't want to stop getting extra servings from Skie when she wasn't looking.

Zoro leapt forward, just missing Skie's ankle and face-planting the ship's floorboards. "…OW!" he roared.

Skie screeched to a stop, the plate still over her head, a triumphant grin on her and Zee's face. "Ha ha!" they cheered.

Zoro got up on one elbow, "Dang it, you freaks! Gimme my food!"

Skie grinned and waved the plate around, "Come and geeeeet iiiit!" Zee was doing the same with his smaller portion.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Zoro jumped to his feet and the case once again started.

Skie grabbed Zee and jumped straight up and landed into the crow's nest, "Quick, eat it up!" she grinned, and the food was gone in about .5 seconds. And .5 seconds was about how long it took for Zoro to get up to the crow's nest.

"WHAAAT?!" he yelled, looking at two empty plates. Skie and Zee already jumped down. "SKIE! I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS! AND THAT LITTLE BUG TOO!"

"I'm a phoenix!" Zee shouted from somewhere else on the ship.

Yup, just another day on the Going Merry…That is…this is not exactly any other day…the day is in fact, October 31st. In other words, it's Halloween.

**-c-a-n-d-y-**

Skie found herself humming the tune of 'This is Halloween' from Nightmare Before Christmas while hiding in Nami's tangerine grove from the still-angry (and hungry) Zoro.

"I hear you!" Zoro's voice barked as he rushed towards the tangerine grove.

Skie forgot all about hiding from him, getting a funny tickly feeling in her stomach. Like she was missing out on something incredibly fun. She ran/leapt out of the grove, her shoe bouncing off Zoro's face as he was climbing up and she was jumping down.

"GAH!" he fell onto his back, out cold for a second.

Skie raced into the kitchen, catching Sanji and Nami making out. "MY EYES!" she screeched in agony, smacking her face against the door as she tried to escape the horrible sight.

"Skie!" they both yelled in surprise, jumping apart.

"Shall I come back later?" she hissed, her face still in the door.

"If you would be so kind," said Sanji.

"N-no…what do you need?" Nami asked.

"I mean, no. Yeah, what do you need?" Sanji asked, following his Nami-Swan's influence.

"Well, I have a feeling that we're missing out on something super fun, but we're not doing anything. What day is it today?" Skie turned around and looked at Nami.

"October thirty first." Nami blinked, "Oh! It's Halloween!"

"I KNEW IT!" Skie laughed.

"Knew WHAT? That you're gonna DIE in about five seconds?" Zoro roared, charging into the kitchen, blasting the door open and making Skie jump and almost hit her head on the ceiling. When she fell back down, guess what she landed on.

"I _hate_ you…" Zoro grumbled, half concious with Skie standing on his back.

"That's no way to speak to a lady!" Sanji stormed over, kicking him and sending him out the door, Skie landing back on the floorboards in front of him. "Now what were you just announcing Skie-Chan?" Sanji asked, grinning happily at her.

"Halloween! That means it's Candy Day! We gots to stop at an island and go Trick-Or-Treating!" She said.

"But, that'd throw us off course and everything, we're better off sticking to a schedule…"

"We're running uber low on food." Skie said.

Sanji winced, "Luffy…" He growled, "And that bug…"

"And me," Skie raised her hand.

"And I'm a phoenix! Not a bug!"

"I couldn't blame you Skie-Chan!" Sanji grinned, ignoring Zee.

"We have enough food for now," Nami said.

"Zoro's gonna get even angrier 'cuz he's outta booze." Skie pointed her thumb back towards the knocked out Zoro, snoozing in front of the mast, Luffy and Usopp scribbling on his face.

"We can handle it." Nami shrugged.

"I'll get…bored…" Skie grinned.

The couple gasped. "Alrighty boys, we're changin' course!" Nami barked.

**-H-a-l-l-o-w-e-e-n-**

They hit the shore of the closest island an hour later. It was cool, dark clouds and a full moon shone overhead. The island was covered in lit-up Jack-o-lanterns and creepy dead-looking trees that seemed to reach out at you.

And kids seemed to rule the streets, running from house to house dressed up as who knows what.

"WHOOT!" Skie yelled, and was about to charge forward, a happy Zee on her shoulder, when Luffy grabbed her shoulder.

"Where ya going?" he asked.

"Trick-or-Treating!"

"What's that?"

"You don't know?"

Luffy shook his head.

"It's when you dress up and go from house to house, knock on the door and say 'trick-or-treat!' and then the person gives ya free candy!"

"CANDY?" Luffy grinned, "Zoro! Let's go!"

"WHAT?" Zoro yelled.

"We're all going trick-or-treating! Just to one house, okay?" Luffy begged.

Zoro grumbled something about having better things to do but tagged along as the crew was yanked by Skie and Luffy into the town bustling of trick-or-treating kids.

The first house was in the dead center of the road, and the street seemed to go around it. It was huge, with old shutters and peeling paint. Your basic haunted house.

"Coool!" Skie, Luffy, Zee and Sanji grinned.

"Scary!" Usopp peeped.

"Are we done yet?" Zoro said grouchily.

They ignored the Moss-Head and walked up to the house. Skie knocked on the door once, and almost immediately the door swung open, making Usopp, Zee and Nami scream in surprise.

A little old lady stood there in the doorway, a happy cheerful grin on her face. "Well…" she said slowly, looking them over, "Aren't you all a little old for trick-or-treating? Hmm?" She asked, smiling.

"She made me," Zoro pointed at Skie, who stuck her tongue out at him.

"Well, you're a grouchy one!" The lady smiled again. "I suppose you want some candy now, hmm?"

"YES PLEASE!" Luffy, Skie, and Zee yelled, grinning widely.

"But you can't get candy dressed like that! Oh well…here…have some of this…it will make you more likely to get candy tonight on Hollow's Eve…" she handed each of them a piece of round candy that looked like a Christmas peppermint, except instead of red and white, it was orange and black. Zee didn't get one because they were too big.

"Thanks," Skie said, and was the first to eat the candy, and everyone but Zoro ate the candy soon after. Zoro gave his to Zee, who gladly started licking it like a soccer ball sized loli-pop.

"Hmm, tastes like-" Skie yawned suddenly, falling back and leaning against Luffy's shoulder, snoring.

"Skie?" Luffy asked curiously.

Nami was the next to fall asleep, falling into Sanji's arms.

"What'd you do to them?" he demanded but them felt himself becoming drowsy, and fell to his knees before falling to his side, Nami next to him.

Usopp and Luffy fell asleep after that, and Zee fell on top of Luffy's hat.

Zoro blinked, looking at his sleeping crewmates. He sighed, "Alright lady, what'd you do to them?" he growled.

"Oh dear, you should have eaten the candy! You would have had so much more fun…I'm sorry, but they are your responsibility now…" She gave him an apologetic smile before closing the door and disappearing.

"Hold it! Get back out here and wake them up!" he yelled.

The door opened just as he was about to open it himself, making him jump. The lady handed him five bags with pumpkins drawn onto them. "Here you are, dear. Make sure each of them get enough candy! Happy Halloween!" and with that, she closed the door again, leaving Zoro alone with his sleeping friends.

He growled and twirled around, ready to take his anger out on Sanji by kicking him repeatedly. Or maybe drawing on Skie and Luffy's face. He shook his head, getting rid of the kiddish thought. He was hanging around the weirdoes too much.

He walked passed his snoozin' crew and into the road again, looking around for someone sane to ask what happened. All he saw was a bunch of kids.

Someone coughed behind him. "Zoro?" a familiar, yet different, voice asked.

He turned around, then screamed, almost falling over. "S-Skie? Is that you?" he gaped.

There stood Skie, age six, wearing an adorable fairy costume, complete with pretty and almost real looking wings. The girl grinned and looked up at him, looking absolutely adorable as a little kid. "When did you get so tall?"

Zoro's eye twitched, "You've got to be kidding me…"

* * *

Oh my! It seems Skie has turned into a six-year-old! Will that happen to the rest of the crew? What will Zoro do when he might have to babysit? Find out in the next exciting episode of...

PSYCHO ON THE GOING MERRY!

**Read and review**! And I'll update **faster**!


	27. What's With the Water Works?

**Chapter 27**

New update! And new friend's coming in in the next chaptah! NEEE! Actually, two! YOSHA!

So, how's Zoro gonna react to being the babysitter? Read on and find out!

* * *

"You've gotta be kidding me…"

"Kidding about what?" Skie looked huggably cute when she tilted her head slightly to the side.

"Hey Skie…why…why're you dressed like that?" Nami's slightly different voice asked.

Skie turned around, "AGHAWAH!" she screamed, pointing at her.

Nami, also an adorable six-year-old, was wearing a very pretty princess dress, just enough frills and glitter to make it look good. She also had a silver diamond-specked tiara on her head. "What? Why do you look so…young? You look like a kid!"

"Well you do too!" Skie said.

"Nami-Swan!" Sanji sat up straight before standing up and almost tackling the poor orange-haired girl. "Nami-Swan, you look so pretty in that dress!" he purred. He was also an adorable little kid, wearing a pure white tunic and a large silver crown on his blond head. The gold buckle on his black belt looked good with his hair, and he had a little toy sword strapped to his side.

The blonde blinked, looking her over. "Why do you look like you've suddenly turned into a toddler?" he looked at the fairy-Skie. "And you too?"

Luffy and Usopp yawned, sitting up and rubbing their eyes.

"Has the trick-or-treating started yet?" Luffy asked, standing up and brushing himself off.

"Aww! You look so cute, Luffy!" Nami and Skie said.

"WHAT?" Sanji yelped.

Luffy was their age as well, and was wearing a deep crimson tunic with an elegant gold and red robe with a big gold crown on his head. He had a toy sword with him as well. "Hi guys!" he said happily, not noticing their sudden transformation.

"AAGH! This is bad! We're all kids!" Usopp screamed, his voice muffled from the helmet over his head. He had shining silver armor from head to foot. A bigger toy sword was on his waist.

Zee got up next. He was even smaller, but didn't look really different. Except instead of his regular white outfit, he had an orange and black one on.

Zoro was still speechless, by the way. He just stared down at his crew with wide-eyed disbelief.

"Zoro! What's going on here?" Sanji demanded, storming over to the man who was now three times taller than him.

"How the hell should I know?" Moss-Head barked angrily.

"That's no way to speak to the children!"

They looked back to see the same old lady who had given them the candy that put them to sleep standing in the doorway.

"What'd you do to us?" demanded Nami.

"Why, I turned you into kids, of course!" the lady smiled. "Since it's Halloween, the one time of year where children can wander about and get free candy…I turn all the adults who come into kids on this night. Giving them the freedom to…well…forget adulthood!"

"So we're stuck as kids forever?" wailed Usopp.

"Oh heavens no! You'll go right back to normal in the morning!" she smiled again, then looked at Zoro sternly. "Since you didn't take my offer, you must baby-sit them. Do you understand me, young man?"

Zoro blinked.

"Well, good luck! Get as much candy as you can tonight! I gave him the candy bags you'll need! Have fun!" And she vanished again, closing the door behind her.

"…WHAT?" Zoro roared. "I'M SUPPOSED TO SPEND AN ENTIRE NIGHT JUST WATCHING AFTER FIVE BABIES AND A BUG?"

"I'm NOT a bug!" Zee yelled angrily.

Sanji stepped forward clumsily, holding out his hand to Zoro, "Hey, Moss-Head, lemme have my candy bag," he said.

Zoro glared down at him, "And why should I do that? So you all can get hyped up? No way!" he grinned, "Tell you what, shorty. You get them from way up here," he wiggled the bags over his head, "And I'll give them to you,"

Sanji jumped in the air, not even close to getting them as Zoro laughed, obviously enjoying himself.

Then, Skie jumped up, yanking the bags out of Zoro's hand and fell to the ground lightly. "Who wants CANDY?" she grinned.

"WE DO!" the miniaturized crew rushed forward, grabbing their own bags before running off to the first house, like kids always do.

"Dang…W-wait! I'm supposed to watch you! I know you can hear me!" he yelled, chasing after them.

They stepped up to the house, Skie jumping up to ring the doorbell.

The door swung open, and a young couple that reminded Skie somehow of Sanji and Nami, opened the door. "Hey there!" the pretty woman smiled.

"Trick-or-treat!" Everyone yelled.

"Oi," Zoro mumbled.

The man grinned, giving them each a large fist-full of the sugarful candy. "Happy Halloween!" he grinned, before the door was closed and the five kids stepped off the porch to go on to the next house, Zoro close behind. He had some feeling that this was some sort of trap.

"Man! This is even funner then I'd thought it would be!" Usopp's muffled voice exclaimed.

"This is really fun…but I have a question…" Nami stopped, the rest of the crew stopping with her.

"What is it, Nami-Swan?" Sanji purred.

"Why did we wake up dressed like this? I mean…is there a reason?" she asked, twirling around in her dress, causing Sanji to go all heart-eyed.

"Well…I've always wanted to be a knight of great honor and strength when I was little…" Usopp said. He put his arms out, "And look at me!"

"I wanted to be a king!" Luffy shouted happily.

"I wanted to be a princess when I was a kid…" Nami smiled.

"Being a handsome young prince was what I wanted. I'd get all the ladies that way…" Sanji sighed happily. Nami gave him a look, and he quickly added, "But Nami-Swan is the only one for me!"

"I didn't know what Halloween was, 'till I came here. So…maybe this is the default costume?" Zee plucked at his orange and black shirt.

Zoro glanced down at Skie, smirking. "And what about 'lil Skie? What did you want to always be?"

Everyone turned to the madly-blushing Skie.

Last year she dressed up as the Goddess of Chaos (feathered Viking hat and feathered angel wings with a golden plastic sword). The year before she was a vampire, and before that a witch…but…a fairy? She hadn't been one since she was…well, six years old.

Skie mumbled something the rest of them couldn't hear.

"What was that?" Zoro asked, putting a hand by his ear and getting down on one knee, grinning.

"A f -_mumble_-" she looked down.

"Sorry, didn't catch that," Zoro's grin widened.

"A FAIRY! I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PRETTY LITTLE FAIRY! IS THAT OK WITH YOU?" She roared.

Everyone looked at each other, holding back their laughter the best they could. Except Zoro, he was laughing out loud with no restraint.

"Sh-shut up, Z-Zoro! It's not police to laugh at a…at a…" Sanji couldn't take it; he started laughing, everyone else joining in. They eventually fell to their knees doubled over from laughing so hard.

"I demand you stop at once! I'm warning you!" Skie squeaked, very embarrassed.

"W-we're sorry Skie," Nami inhaled, her and Sanji leaning against each other back-to-back. "But-you? A f-fairy?" She laughed again.

"So I wanted to be a fairy when I was a kid! So what? I was six!" She hollered.

But they didn't hear her over their laughter. Skie sighed heavily, crossing her arms grouchily.

After about five minutes, "You done now?" the fairy asked icily, glaring at her crew as they slowly got back to their senses and stood up (Zoro just had to sit up).

"Yeah…" Usopp giggled.

"Sorry Skie," Nami smiled at her apologetically.

"Yeah, we're sorry Skie-Chan." Sanji said, "Right guys?"

"Yep!" they all said. Except for one.

"Zoro…" Sanji growled, looking at Zoro with fire in his eyes.

"What."

"Say you're sorry."

"No."

"Do it!"

"Why?"

"Because! Just say sorry!"

"But I don't want too!"

"You're so immature!" Nami barked.

"Look who's talking, kid!"

"Awright! That's it!" Sanji leapt forward, tackling Zoro. Moss-Head yelled and fell back, trying to pry the little blondie off of him as he was punched repeatedly. Sanji wasn't doing any damage, but was still pretty annoying.

"Let go of me, you little blond freak!" Zoro roared.

"DOGPILE!" yelled Zee, and everyone jumped in, Skie jumping up on top.

"Ha! I win!" she yelled happily.

"Oh no ya don't! Get down!" Zoro stood up, all the kids falling off him and onto the ground.

"Ow…" Luffy looked at his scraped knee. "That…that hurt…"

"I hit my elbow," Nami whined, looking at her slightly scratched arm.

Skie just looked at the top of her hand, which had a little mark on it.

Then, all three of the little 'injured' kids started sniffling, their eyes getting glossy.

"…?" Zoro blinked, confused.

The three suddenly burst into tears, wailing loudly.

"Wh-what?" Zoro looked like he had no idea what to do.

"Nami-Swan! Skie-Chan! Are you okay?" Sanji asked, standing up and rushing over to them. "ZORO! YOU IDIOT! MAKE THEM ALL BETTER!" Sanji yelled, not realizing he sounded a bit more like a six-year-old than he should have.

"Well what am I supposed to do about it?" Zoro said, stepping back a little bit.

"You hafta give them a band-aid!" Usopp said, tugging on Zoro's wrist.

"I don't _have_ any band-aids!"

"Well do _something_!" Usopp whined.

Zoro threw his arms in the air, "Like WHAT?"

"Nami-Swan, if I kiss it, will that make you all better?" Sanji asked.

Nami sniffed, quieting down a little before nodding slightly.

Sanji kissed her elbow and she instantly stopped crying. "Does that feel better Nami-Swan?" he asked.

She nodded, smiling, "Thank you, Sanji," She said happily.

Skie blinked, then looked at her hand and then at Sanji. "What about me?" she asked, taking advantage of the situation and holding out her arm.

"Of course, Skie-Chan!" Sanji said happily, then kissed the top of her hand like a gentleman would. "How's that?"

Skie instantly stopped crying, "Thank you, Sanji!" she said, standing up and brushing her glittery dress of.

"S-SANJI! What about me?" Luffy pointed at his knee.

Sanji huffed, standing up and helping Nami up, "I ain't kissing your knee," He said.

Luffy continued wailing loudly.

"Luffy, Stop it…" Zoro said.

The boy ignored him.

"Luffy, stop crying,"

"I d-don't, WAANAAA!"

"If I let you ride on my shoulders, will you stop crying?" Zoro barked, and he instantly regretted what he'd said.

Luffy looked up at him. "Yeah! Yeah, yeah!" he jumped up, seeming to forget about his scraped knee. He held his hands up and started jumping up and down.

Zoro groaned, picking the little boy up and placing him on his shoulders. "Ugh, why me?" he grumbled.

"Oh! Oh! Me next!" Usopp said, raising his hand.

"And me!" Skie yelled.

"Then me!" Nami said.

"W-what?" Sanji gaped at Nami.

"No way! I'm just doing this so Luffy'll stop crying!" Zoro barked, making the little kids flinch. "Aww…come on…don't start crying…" he said as the chibitized pirates started trembling, even Sanji looked startled to tears.

"I didn't mean it…" Zoro said, trying to stop them from starting, but the kids kept sniffling anyway, looking as if they were about to burst into tears at any second. Then, the dam broke, and the tears burst forth from all of them.

"Cut it out! Come on, please?" Zoro said.

"You made them cry! Make 'em feel better!" Luffy yelled, smacking Zoro on the back of the head.

"Stop that, Luffy!" Zoro said angrily, then groaned heavily as the boy started crying as well.

"I hate you, life…" he grumbled.

Sighing heavily, he gave up, "Alright, alright! I'll carry all of you, ok?" he said, putting his arms in the air.

"YAAY!" The kids all cheered, instantly cured from their tears.

Zoro got on one knee and let them climb up. Skie and Nami sat on Zoro's shoulders, and he held Usopp and Sanji with each arm, looking as if he'd rather be anywhere else as he did so.

"Thank you, Uncle Zoro!" Luffy cheered.

"Wh-what?" Zoro looked baffled, "What'd you call me?" he asked curiously.

"I…I don' t know…Uncle Zoro?" Luffy suggested.

"Don't call me that," he grumbled before he started walking to the next house.

* * *

Uncle Zoro huh? What's up with everyone?

I'd like to thank both Bibs and Clarobel (author of Toddler Troubles) who gave me the ideas for this chapter. Yup yup! Thanksh!

Review and I'll update again! PEACE OUT!

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**!


	28. Familiar Faces!

**CHAPTER 28!**

Finally! Sorry for the ultra-late update :P Really, I am...I was delayed and couldn't find my file after I saved it! ZARGAWAH!

Next chapter will be the LAST Hallowen Chaptah! Then Christmas! (it's late, I know. Just bear with me)

And Bibs! I put Ian in:D

* * *

The six Straw-Hat crewmates (plus Zee) marched through the kid-crowded streets. Well, Zoro marched. The pirate-turned-kids were still being carried by the grouchy Zoro to each and every house.

"Oh! That one next! Pleease!" Skie begged, poking Zoro in the ear.

"Gah! Alright! ALRIGHT!" he shouted angrily, instantly knowing he shouldn't have done so as he felt Skie flinch on his shoulder. "..." He ground his teeth in agitation, "...sorry..." he mumbled, and Skie instantly stopped trembling, a wide (even smug) grin spreading across her face.

"'Salright, Uncle Zoro!" She said happily.

Zoro grunted in reply. He was getting used to the name. All of the kids, even Sanji, were calling him 'Uncle Zoro'. Only Zee remained non-kiddish. Well, he was still acting immature, but not so much as Zoro's human crewmates.

Zoro stopped at the front of yet another house, Zoro bending down slightly so Skie could reach the doorbell.

An second later, the large white wooden door swung open a large figure nearly blocking out all the light from the room.

"Gah!" Zoro nearly fell backwards, tightening his grip on the little Sanji and Usopp so they didn't fall to the ground and start crying. "YOU!" Zoro yelled.

"Captain Smoker? Who is it?" a familiar voice called.

"ZOMG! Hi!" Skie said happily, waving at Smoker.

The Marine blinked, "...?" he looked confused. "Are we kidnapping now, Roranoa Zoro?" Smoker growled.

"Wh-what? No!" Zoro barked angrily.

"Then who are they?"

"...uh..." Zoro was to stunned at seeing Smoker in Candy-Land (as he called it) that he was thinking straight.

"He's our uncle!" Nami said.

"Leave Uncle Zoro alone, meanie!" Sanji said, shaking his little fist threateningly.

Sanji sticking up for him really got Zoro shocked.

"Uncle? How many brothers and sisters do you have, exactly?" Smoker demanded.

"Me? Oh um..." he did a quick head count, forgetting about Zee. "Five."

"Five? Really?" Smoker didn't seem to buy it.

"Yeah! Five! Gotta problem with that?" Zoro said.

"Smoker, who is it? Aaah!" Tashigi shrieked at seeing Roranoa Zoro standing right in front of her. "What are you doing here?!" she yelled.

"I'm takin' these kids trick-or-treating!" Zoro yelled right back.

"That doesn't matter, you're under arrest, pirate!" Tashigi said.

Zoro would have gladly taken up the offer to duel her again, but with an arm full of kids...

"Uncle Zoro! She's gotta sword!" Luffy hissed angrily.

"RUN FOR IT!" Usopp's muffled voice shouted.

Suddenly, Nami and Skie broke into tears, complete with loud displeased wails.

"Wh-What is it now?!" Zoro said in agitation.

"She-She's gonna hurt Uncle Zoroo!" Nami and Skie cried at the same time, growing louder by the second.

Zoro felt himself blushing. Since when had they all been so dang worried about his safety? It bugged him. A lot.

Tashigi hesitated, not wanting to strike at Zoro with five innocent children (and what looked like an orange and black bug) on his shoulders and in his arms. "Put them down and fight me!" she yelled.

"..." Zoro narrowed his eyes. If he was captured (not that there was a big chance that he would be), what would his crew do? Left all alone on the island. What if the lady was lying and they turn back to normal in the morning? Or worse...what if the Marines took them on their ship where in the morning the crew turned to their normal selves and were arrested and executed then?

"No." Zoro said bluntly.

"No? Roranoa Zoro! I demand you fight me!"

"Nope!" the swordsman turned on his heel and marched away, all five kids clinging to him like a sock out of the dryer.

Zee turned around from his comfortable spot on top of Luffy's head inside the crown and stuck his tongue out at the two dumbfounded Marines.

"Captain Smoker! Do something!" Tashigi exclaimed.

Smoker nodded, his arms turning into white clouds to launch his attack, but suddenly he fell to his side unconscious, something colliding with the side of his head.

"C-Captain!" Tashigi exclaimed, seeing the brick on the ground next to him.

Two young voices laughed above them and Tashigi looked up, seeing two small figures. One on the roof, the other hovering in the air. Suddenly, Tashigi felt faint and fell to the ground next to her captain, also unconscious.

"Seargant Tashigi?" another voice called from inside the house. Another Marine stepped ouside, gasping at seeing his fallen superiors. "Ack!" He gasped, running back in their temporary Marine base to get help.

The two figures were gone.

**X X X X X**

"We didn't get any candy, you jerk." Skie complained.

"WHAT?! JERK?! Those were MARINES!"

"They were?" Nami asked.

"YES!" Zoro shouted, then quickly toned his voice down, "Yes. Yes they were."

The crew stopped at a couple other houses until the kids' candy bags were nearly full. They were about to go up to another house with the shutters painted red and a tire swing out in the front yard, when a strangely familiar voice called (in a slightly annoying fashion).

"HELLOoooOOOoooOOO!"

"Ack! What was that?" Luffy said, looking up and nearly flinging Zee to the ground.

From up above, a little six-year old girl with dark (almost black) brown hair with bright red streaks that was tied up in a pony tail zoomed down and landed in front of a tired-looking Zoro. "Hiii, Skie!" she said cheerfully. She had a black robe on with a yellow and black scarf around her neck, and a broomstick in her hand. She was a witch.

"Hiii, Bibs!" Skie said.

"Argh!" Sanji flinched, climbing up Zoro's arm away from the girl who tackled him and refused to let go before.

"Cut it out!" Zoro complained.

"Skie! Skie! Guess what!" Bibs said excitedly, forgetting about the others for a second.

"What?"

"Chey is here!"

"REALLY?!"

"Dun da da DAAA!" another voice yelled, and another six-year old dressed as a vampire, complete with two fake bloody holes on her neck. She had more of a modern vampire look. Dark black pants with a ton of belts all over them and a maroon cape over a black shirt with another black shirt under it. "Chey has arrived!" she said, striking a pose. (remember Chey? She's in Chaptah ONE!)

"Chey! Yay!" Skie cheered, jumping down from Zoro's shoulder and landing with a little bounce. "How'd you get here?"

"I dunno,"

"I KNOW!" Bibs said loudly. "We're asleep!" she said.

"Yeah! Les' go get candy!" Skie yelled, then, the trio of best buds seemingly forgot about the One Piece crew as they charged the white house with the red shutters and the tire swing out front.

"..." The One Piece crew watched in stunned silence as the trio stepped up to the door, Skie jumping up to reach the doorbell.

Luffy's jaw dropped as a teenage red-haired boy opened the door. "He...He looks just like Shanks!" Luffy shouted, pointing, "Uncle Zoro! Mush!" Luffy yelled, pretending Zoro was a sled-dog team.

"..." Zoro's eye twitched.

"Zoroo!" Luffy whined. "Mush!"

"...Fine -_grumble mutter_-..." Zoro marched forward reluctantly, Luffy almost falling off Zoro's shoulders in anticipation. When they came within hearing, they heard Bibs talking to the boy, who looked about 16 or 17, around Luffy's age.

"-Just give us the candy, Ian! Daddy's gonna get made at you!" Bibs scorned at the boy, who was kneeling down so he could be at eye-level with them.

He grinned playfully. "But you're all so cute when you're angry!" he said.

"..." Skie blushed.

Chey noticed this and pointed out strightaway in a blunt fashion (as all little kids are blunt) "Skie, Zoro's cuter than he is. But if you like him it's okay 'cuz Zoro's mine, remember?" Chey poked her friend in the shoulder.

"I don't like him! I just met him! 'Sides, Sanji's cuter!"

"Gasp! He is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is NOT!"

"IS TOO!"

"RAWR!" the two sprang at each other. And as the epic battle raged, Bibs sighed heavily. "Why me?" she groaned. Ian laughed, then glanced up, seeing a creeped out looking Zoro and Sanji along with the rest of the crew who looked like they were about to laugh at the childish fight/epic battle.

"What the he-" Zoro started.

"Hey! Watch it! There are kids here." Ian scolded.

"I was gonna say 'Heck' you pansy!" Zoro barked, his temper wavering.

"Pansy? Me? HAH!" Ian laughed, crossing his arms smuggly. "I could take you out any day! Right dad?"

"Sure," A depressed-sounding voice said.

"Dad?" Both Bibs and Ian said at the same time, "What's wrong?"

"Bibs? Is that you?" suddenly, the one and only Red-Haired Shanks appeared in the doorway.

"Daddy!" Bibs said happily, jumping up and down, demanding to get picked up.

"BIBS!" Shanks lifted her up and hugged her like a teddy bear. "You're back! You vanished for some time! Where'd you go?" Shanks asked, "And why are you a baby?"

"I'm not a baby!" she whined, then calmed down "I dunno..." Bibs said, yawning into his shoulder. "I'm tired..." she mumbled.

"Bibs! You hafta come with me to get candy! It's Halloween!" Skie complained, both her and Chey stopping their fight and stamping a foot angrily.

Bibs shook her head tiredly.

"…I'll give you a bottle of Mountain Dew later!" Skie bribed.

"I'M IN!" Bibs jumped out of Shanks' arms, landing on the ground lightly, "MOUNTAIN DEEW!" she shouted.

"ROOTBEER!" Skie yelled.

"SODAAA!" Chey roared.

"…insane psychopaths…." Zoro mumbled quietly.

Sanji laughed, hearing Zoro.

Zoro blinked, "Aren't you supposed to get angry when I insult girls?"

"Girls are gross! They have cooties!" Sanji stuck his tongue out.

"I do not!" Nami protested, kicking at Sanji.

Shanks suddenly spoke out, "I forbid it! You've been missing for almost a month! You are not going out of my sight, young lady!" he said.

Bibs blinked, "But…but…" she sat down, "WAAAAAAHHH!" she bawled, Skie and Chey joining in.

"D-Dad! Now look what you did!" Ian yelled.

"I didn't do it!" Shanks said.

So there they were. Zoro trying to keep hold of his sanity while Sanji and Nami argued in his arms, Usopp squirming to be put down. And Chey, Bibs, and Skie bawling their eyes out over the fact that their trio wouldn't get to go trick-or-treating together.

Finally, Zoro and Shanks both snapped.

"THAT IS IT!" Zoro roared, "WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE SHIP! AND THAT IS FINAL!"

"INTO YOUR ROOM RIGHT NOW YOUNG LADY!" Shanks yelled over their loud crying, "AND I MEAN NOW!"

Everyone silenced, Ian stunned into the quiet as well, his eyes wide as he looked between his father and Zoro, not knowing who to be more freaked out from.

"…" Bibs narrowed her eyes, "I want candy…" she growled, standing up and brushing her black skirt off.

Skie and Chey stood up too, Skie falling over and then getting back up again because she's just clumsy like that.

Bibs eyes suddenly flashed green and her, Bibs, and Skie zoomed up into the air out of reach of everyone. "Good thing I have pants on under my skirt," Bibs said. Then she waved her arm, and Usopp, Sanji, Nami and Luffy (Zee still on his head) zoomed up with them.

"GET DOWN HERE!" Zoro and Shanks yelled.

"You're gonna hurt yourselves!" Ian shouted.

The Straw Hat Crew and the other three psychos laughed, before Bibs turned everyone around, and flew off to a different part of the candy-filled neighborhood.

"Oh they are in so much trouble…" he said, wincing.

"C'MON BOYS! AFTER THEM!" Shanks yelled, running off in their general directoin. And his entire crew came storming out of the house after him.

"Razum frazum grrr…." Zoro mumbled, running with the crew also. He was 100 determined to drag every single member of his crew back to the ship by their ears.

**X X X X X**

Bibs had everyone land in a kid-crowded street.

"Don't split up, 'kay?" everyone nodded at Skie's request.

They went to the first house they saw. A large orange Victorian. Skie hopped up and rang the doorbell, and the door swung inwards. "What's up?" two strangely familiar guys asked, looking down at them.

"More kids." the one with sunglasses said.

"Ah. Yes." The red-haired one said.

"…" the door suddenly slammed shut in the little kid's faces.

"Brother Yosaku! Why'd you do that!" yelled a voice angrily.

"We don't have any candy left, Brother Johnny!" Yosaku replied.

"But you'll make them cry!" Johnny said sadly.

"CANDY!" Chey ran into the door, breaking it down and flattening Yosaku and Johnny. "WHERE IS IT?!"

"Don't freak out! That's my job!" Skie said, stepping on the door and entering the house as well.

"Owie…" the two whined.

"Wait for us!" the rest of them stampeded into the house, further crushing the two bounty hunters.

"I'm almost dead…how 'bout you?" Yosaku wheezed.

"I'm dead." Johnny said.

"Oh! Hey there are people under the door!" Nami said.

"CANDY!" Chey threw the door up, breaking the doorframe.

"OMIGAWSH IT'S JOHNNY AND YOSAKU!!" Skie yelled.

"You guys again?" Nami sighed.

"Wha?" the both looked up to see a herd of six-year-olds staring down at them, each of them missing a tooth. "Who're you…?"

"THERE YOU ARE!" two voices roared at once from outside.

"Oh shoot…" Bibs said, her eyes widening.

"YOU ARE SO GROUNDED!" Shanks yelled.

"I'LL THROW YOU ALL OVERBOARD!" Zoro roared.

"But they're just kids!" Ian said angrily.

"Bah!" Zoro said angrily.

"Should we run now?" Usopp asked.

"I believe so." Nami replied.

And run they did.

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REVIEW AND I'LL UPDATE FASTER! 


	29. Candy! Kaboom! Kapow! Caramel Fireball!

Chapter 29!

Finally! Right? Right? Ha hah! Yay! Last Halloween episode! And did you see? Taru finally updated Rock On, Kiara! AUGH! Read it.

Well, once again, read it and review! 'Kay? Kay. Good. SEE YOU! -_disappears_-

* * *

The kids shot up the stairs, Shanks, Zoro and the other pirates' right behind them. They stepped on the door, unknowing that Johnny and Yosaku were still under it. 

"GET BACK HERE!" Zoro roared.

"YOU'RE GROUNDED!" Shanks shouted.

Ian stayed outside, pretending to tie his shoes until the pirates all disappeared upstairs and out of sight. He grinned and strolled down the road, whistling cheerfully to himself with a slightly smug grin on his face.

The kids ran onto the second floor balcony, "Everyone jump!" Bibs said.

"WHAT?!" yelled Nami.

But no one else complained or protested, and they jumped over the edge, Bibs using her telekinetic powers to lift them into the air and over the house, far out of reach from the rest of the pirates below.

"Dang it! Get DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!" Shanks shouted.

Zoro was busy throwing a temper tantrum, stomping his feet and yelling gibberish in frustration, not caring how much like Skie he was acting right then.

The kids laughed and flew off, grinning.

**-S-L-A-Y-E-R-S- -R-A-W-K-**

"Did we lose Uncle Zoro and Shanks yet?" Skie asked as the psychotic trio and the mini Straw Hats zoomed around towards the back of a house. They were weaving in and out of houses and blocks, and so far they had seemingly lost them.

"I think so…" Sanji said, slowing to a stop, the rest of them stopping as well.

"You all are in so much trouble." Zee grinned, blowing a fiery piece of hair out of his face.

"Hush up, bug. And why're you sitting on his head and not mine?" Skie whined, pouting.

Zee hopped from Luffy's head and onto Skie's, sitting down, "There. Happy?"

"Uh-Huh." Skie nodded, grinning.

"Now what?" Luffy asked.

"We hide." Usopp suggested.

"We fight!" Sanji said.

"Why would we fight? We just ran halfway around the island! Boys are so stupid…" Nami mumbled.

"We are not!" Luffy, Usopp, Zee, and Sanji yelled.

"Yes you are!" Nami, Skie, Bibs, and Chey shouted.

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah-huh!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"YES!"

"NO!"

"Boo."

Everyone jumped a foot in the air (Skie jumped eighteen) at the sound of Ian's voice. Ian laughed, stepping out from behind a bush he'd been hiding behind. "Found ya." He said, then caught Skie as she came back down.

"ACK! It's Shanks! RUN!" Skie yelled, squirming.

"I am not! Shanks is my dad!" Ian said, looking upset that he'd been mistaken for his 36 year old father.

"…Oh yeah. Shanks has two arms." Skie calmed down, then zoned out.

Zee knocked his fist on her forehead a couple times, "Wake up!"

"SUGAR!" Chey and Bibs shouted.

"OMG WHERE?!" Skie started squirming again, "I was just thinkin' about sugar! I wanna Swedish Fish!"

"A what?" Ian tilted his head cutely to the side.

"Put me down, ape!" Skie shouted.

Ian put her down and she scrambled over and hid behind Bibs.

"You're blushing again." Chey noted out loud.

"AM NOT!" Skie shouted.

"Yeah you are." Sanji grinned.

"SHADDUP!"

"BLONDE!" Zee roared, tackling Sanji.

While Sanji and Zee fought their own little epic battle, Bibs looked up at her older brother, "Ian, are you gonna tell Daddy where we are?" she asked.

"Pfft. No! It's so funny seeing him so angry!"

"Hey! He's angry at me!" Bibs shouted.

"And me!" Luffy raised his arm, "What are we talking about?"

"I know he's mad at you. That's why I find it amusing that your all in so much trouble." Ian grinned.

"YARG!" Everyone but Skie, Zee, and Sanji charged forward and tackled Ian, creating yet another epic battle.

Skie sat down, taking a Sugar Daddy from her candy bag, a grin crossing her face. "Mwa ha ha haa! Candy!" She cheered.

"I'll take that, thank you." Skie's Sugar Daddy was snatched out of her hand by…an angry looking Zoro.

Instead of shrieking and running off in fear at the look of utmost fury on his face, Skie's eye twitched as she slowly glared up at the green haired pirate.

Now, when you're older and a bit more mature, candy stealing is not such a big deal (unless it's from a store or something). But when you're young and candy is about the only food you'll eat during your free time, having candy stolen from you is like…stealing a gameboy from a geek. REVENGE IS IMMINENT.

Each epic fight stopped at once, every little-kid face turning slowly to glare at the oblivious Zoro, who was busy wondering why they all weren't running away screaming. Ian was looking at the kids that were pulling his hair and nose a second ago nervously. He'd seen Bibs like this before.

"Uncle Zoro!" Chey said, about to dash forward and give him a hug, but was held back by Bibs. Bibs whispered something in Chey's ear, and the girl suddenly turned angry.

Skie glanced up and raised an eyebrow as the Straw Hats and her two friends slowly came towards Zoro like a pack of wild animals.

"Mine!" Skie shouted.

"Mine now! You're all grounded!" Zoro said angrily.

Skie growled angrily, "Gimme…" she said acidly.

"None of you kids are getting candy for the rest of the night! And I'm taking away the candy you have now!" Zoro yelled, "Now MARCH!" he said, pointing down the alley towards the dock area.

"YARGH!" Zoro was tackled by the horde of short little people.

"Get offa me!" he roared.

"…" Ian found himself snickering.

"Amusing, aren't they?" Zee said, sitting on Ian's shoulder and making Ian jump in surprise.

"Yep." Ian nodded.

Ten seconds later, Zoro was knocked out cold, swirlies in his eyes and a cherry flavored lollipop stuck in his green hair. "You're all...dead…" he mumbled.

"THERE YOU ARE!" they all turned to see Shanks and his crew at the opposite end of the alley. "Get over here NOW!" he yelled.

Ian leaned forehead and whispered something in each of the kids' ears, grinning as they turned even angrier.

"WHAT?!" Skie stomped her little foot and fury, "Shanks did WHAT?"

"…Ian what'd you tell them?" One of the crewmembers called anxiously.

"See! They took all the best candy! There's no more left! GET 'EM!" Ian yelled, pointing at the crew and his dad.

"YOU'RE GROUNDED TOO!" Shanks shouted.

"It was worth it!" Ian grinned.

"CHAARGE!" Luffy roared, zooming down the alley, his crew and the three psychos' right behind him.

**-G-O-U-R-R-Y-**

"My head hurts." Shanks groaned, sitting up.

"You've got a yellow lolli on your head." Ben Beckman said, just sitting up as well.

"Well so do you." Shanks mumbled, pulling at the lemon flavored lollipop and wincing as it pulled his hair.

"You guys got completely scrambled by them. And they're what? Six?" Ian laughed, sitting on top of a rooftop where he'd witnessed the six year old pirates cream the adult pirates and stick lollipops on each and every one of their heads.

"And you're grounded!" Shanks barked.

Ian was about to say something back, but something smacked him in the side of the head. "Ow…what was…? Oh! Zee! Where've you been?"

"I fell off the roof you dolt! I only just got up! Now take me to Skie! She's gonna leave me behind if that Moss-Head sets sail!"

**-L-I-N-A- -I-N-V-E-R-S-E-**

Zoro put his mini-crew and trio of psychos down on the deck and sat down, exhaling. He was so going to take a nap now. He glanced at their giant pile of candy they had spent all night collecting and shrugged. He deserved some candy too, right? He really wanted a stick of licorice, and started digging through the candy bags.

Skie stirred, "Candy senses…tingling…" she mumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. The rest of the kids woke up slowly also.

Zoro jumped away from the candy and pretended to be asleep, not wanting to bring the wrath of the kids upon him again.

"Shh! Uncle Zoro's sleeping!" Nami said, putting a finger over her mouth.

"What?" Luffy said loudly.

"SHH!" everyone else hushed, Sanji smacking a hand over Luffy's mouth. "Quiet!" he whispered.

Zoro stayed silent, waiting for them to stick another lollipop on his head or something like paint his hair pink. He'd be ready for 'em. He'd tie them all to the crows' nest. Zoro heard shuffling around him and the sound of plastic being ruffled as they dug through their candy bags. He was just about to jump up and drag them away from the sugar, when the shuffling stopped in front of him.

"Wake him up." Usopp whispered.

Zoro felt someone poke his shoulder. "Wha…?" he pretended to just wake up, opening one eye, "Yeah? What is it…?" he raised a confuzled eyebrow.

The kids were all standing in front of him in a little half circle, a piece of candy in each of their hands. Skie had a Sugar Daddy, Chey had a licorice stick, Bibs had a huge rainbow colored lollipop, Sanji had a big Tootsie Roll, Nami had a candy necklace, Usopp had a box of Hot Tamales, and Luffy had a caramel apple.

"…?" Zoro tilted his head to the side, confused.

"One, two, three," Skie said.

"Thank you for taking us Trick-or-Treating, Uncle Zoro!" the kids all said at the same time, holding out the candy for him.

Zoro blinked. What? Whaaat? They were giving him their candy?

He blinked again, unable to react. "Um…" He looked at them. They were all so cute! Like teddy bears!

"Take it or I'll eat it." Skie said, waving the Sugar Daddy at him.

Zoro took the candy, still dumbstruck. "Thank you?" he said.

"You're welcome, Uncle Zoro!" Chey said, then jumped forward, giving Zoro a bear hug.

"Yay!" all the other kids ran forward, joining in the group hug while Zoro just sat there, still dumbstruck and not knowing what to do.

"You're supposed to hug us back, idiot!" Sanji said.

"Hmph!" Zoro snorted in irritation, but did, in fact, hug all of them back, and couldn't help but grin a little.

"Sorry to interrupt this little Christmassy moment you're all having, but I needed to return someone to you." Ian said, appearing as if out of nowhere on the deck.

Zoro yelled in surprise, "Hey!" he shouted, picking up all the kids at once and putting them down as he stood up. "What're you doing here?"

"I told you. I came to return him." Ian held out his hand, Zee was standing on his palm.

"Hiya." The little humanoid phoenix grinned.

"Man. I was hopping we'd leave him behind…" Zoro mumbled.

"WHAT?" Skie roared, kicking Zoro's shin and making him fall over.

"I knew it!" Zee yelled, pointing down at Zoro.

"Don't kick Uncle Zoro!" Chey roared, tackling Skie.

"Whoo. Fun, epic wars all around. I'm gonna go eat can-" Bibs fell over, asleep. And it was like a domino effect. Seeing their sleeping friend made all the other kids tired, and they all fell asleep on the deck, Skie and Chey in mid poke/sissy slap.

"…" Zoro looked around at them all. "Geez…" He mumbled.

"Need help putting them in their rooms?" Ian asked.

"Sure." Zoro nodded.

**-C-A-N-D-Y-**

Ten minutes later, Zoro and Ian sat down by the mast, leaning against it.

Zoro looked rather grouchy.

"What's wrong?" Ian asked.

"Skie was havin' a dream that had to do with spiders and she kicked me in the gut…" Zoro grumbled.

"Really? Hah,"

"Shut up."

"No problem. Well, I'm gonna take Bibs back home. See you later Roranoa Zoro." Ian stood up, his little sister in his arms sound a sleep. There was a little stream of drool dripping out from the side of her mouth.

"Yeah, see you." Zoro waved his arms, already beginning to doze off, when Bibs suddenly sneezed, somehow turning away from Ian and looking right at Zoro, covering him in…well, you know.

"AAAGH!" Zoro shrieked, but Ian was already running down the dock, laughing. And when Zoro glared at him, he could've sworn he saw Bibs' face peeking over Ian's shoulder and grinning impishly at him.

After Ian was out of sight, and Zoro got all cleaned up, he sat out on deck with his back against the mast to finally get some shut eye.

"Mwa ha haah! Happy Halloween, Uncle Zoro!" Zoro jumped at hearing all the kids yell at once.

"Go back to bed!" he yelled, then heard lots of giggling, and finally silence.

"Yeah yeah, Happy Halloween." Zoro grinned slightly as he started eating the candy given to him by his mini-crew. He looked at the Sugar Daddy Skie had given him with narrowed eyes, was it safe? Was it...noncontaminated by anything...hmmm...

Zoro shrugged, then ate the whole thing in one bite.

And instantly started gagging. It was like chewing on a caramel fireball! She probobly used some of Usopp's ammo for this! The _fiend_!

"SKIIIIE!"

"I didn't do it!"

* * *

Leave a REVIEW! Once again I'll say, the more reviews I get, the faster I update! (so leave more reviews, dang it! Good ones! Bad ones make me sad...-_sniff_- :P) 


	30. Tunnels Galore!

**Chapter 30**

Omg! Christmas Story Arc! I know...it's two months late...SUE ME! I'm kidding, dang it!

After that, V-Day! I'm trying to update faster! I truely am!

* * *

_Two months later_… 

(_Zee disappeared sometime in November after aiding Skie in painting hearts on Zoro's large forehead. Zoro caught Zee during the epic chase scene, and the little humanoid phoenix hasn't been seen since then_)

It was ice cold on the good 'ol Going Merry ship. Except of course, that it was dang freezing!

"IT'S TOO COOOLD!" shrieked Skie and Usopp, running around in a circle around the ship several times. Skie accidentally stepped on Zoro once, since he was napping in her way. He abruptly moved after giving up chasing angrily after her for a while.

Sanji and Nami, of course, were cuddling for warmth. And during the whole cuddling thing, Sanji was grinning like an idiot.

"Cold? What?" Luffy wasn't really paying attention to the fact it was an ice age around them.

"Yes, you idiot! Cold!" Zoro barked grouchily, "You're not wearing anything but summer clothes! You've gotta be at least a little chilly."

"…?" Luffy glanced back at Zoro, tilting his head to the side slightly. "Really?"

Zoro sighed, giving up, before marching back to the kitchen, where it was still semi-warm from the stove that was used to cook up lunch about an hour ago.

Skie, hailing from a state that was used to a new ice age every year, still had little to no resistance against the cold. And she didn't have a jacket, that didn't help very much either. "Usopp, it's too cold!" she shivered, now standing in one place, shivering like mad.

"I kn-know!" he chattered, also shivering.

"Hi guys!" Luffy said happily, stepping up next to the two pals. "What's up?"

"We're just c-cold…" Skie shivered.

"Cold?" Luffy looked confused again.

"Yes. Cold. You know…not warm?" Usopp said.

"Hmmm…" Luffy went deep into thought for a second. "AUGH!" he shouted all of a sudden, "IT _IS_ COLD! UGAWAAH!" he jumped forward, wrapping Usopp and Skie up in a tight bear hug.

"Gack!" Skie squirmed.

"Let's cuddle for warmth!" Luffy said.

"What?! No way hosay!" Skie slipped out from Luffy's arm and edged away, Usopp doing the same.

"Fine then! ZORO!" Luffy shouted.

"WHAT?!" Zoro roared, waking up again.

"Let's cuddle for warmth!"

Zoro gave Luffy an expression that looked as if Luffy had just swallowed a puppy whole. And then coughed it back up, the puppy still alive and tail-wagging.

"SHUT UP! No more yelling! It's too COLD!" Nami roared.

"Yes, Nami-Swan! SHADDUP YOU IDIOT MALES!" Sanji yelled.

Skie stuck her tongue out at Zoro. "Yeah! Hush up, idiot male!"

"Shut up, Skie." Zoro mumbled, going back to sleep.

An hour passed slowly…

And the ship suddenly lurched forward, jolting everyone but Zoro asleep from a little nappy.

"GAGH!" Skie yelled, "I was dreamin' of nice, warm, Disney World! WHO DID DAT?!"

Nami ran up on deck, wrapped up in a blanket along with about five pairs of pajamas on top of each other and a jacket. "Dang it…we just hit an island. It's alright." She said, smiling. Although she did look annoyed.

Sanji ran out and stood next to Nami, "We hit an island?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, Sanji."

"Stop being so dang loud!" Zoro yelled angrily.

Everyone looked around, not seeing the swordsman anywhere, but Luffy was the first to spot him out. "Hey Zoro! You look like a snowman!" he said.

"…?" Zoro did realize he couldn't move, and looked down to see his body from neck-down was in fact a snowman. "The heck?!" he yelled angrily, "SKIE!"

"I DIDN'T DO IT! HAAH!" Skie roared, throwing on a jacket and charging towards the island on the deck, jumping off the Going Merry and landing in a snow bank. With a white 'flapoof' she disappeared under the powdery snow.

"Ahh! Skie!" Luffy yelled, running after her and cannonball into the snow bank after her. With another white 'flapoof' he disappeared as well.

"Idiots! Stop jumping in holes!" Nami yelled.

"I'll save you!" Usopp yelled, jumping in after his two fallen friends.

A large anime vein popped up next to Nami's head. Sanji smiled sympathetically, "It's alright Nami-Swan…we'll be fine!" he said.

"What do you mean 'we'? ACK!" Sanji suddenly picked Nami up and charged for the ship, "Sanji! Stop! Halt! SIECE!" she roared.

Sanji grinned, "I'll protect you Nami-Swan! We must rescue Skie-Chan!" he yelled, then jumped from the deck and into the hole, 'flapoof' they were gone.

Zoro blinked. What the heck was wrong with all of them? Sighing heavily, he wiggled free of his snowman body and stood up. He walked slowly towards the other end of the ship and jumped down lightly, landing next to the hole in the snow bank his shipmates had created. It had an icy blue glow in it, and the walls were made out of ice. It was really rather pretty, but of course Zoro wouldn't describe it as pretty. Without another moments hesitation, he stepped into the hole.

'Flapoof' he was gone.

**-O-M-G-?-**

Skie was going down the icy tunnel at a super fast speed. At first she was alarmed (who wouldn't be?) when she fell into the unseen hole, but a second later, she found it was fun. It reminded her of the ice tunnel scene from Ice Age.

She head Luffy cheering somewhere behind her, but she didn't really pay attention to him…there was something up ahead…

Narrowing her eyes, she saw the path split into four others. She could distinctly hear the familiar tune of 'A Mad Russian's Christmas' from the tunnel to the far right. (Mad Russian's Christmas is on Trans Siberian Orchestra. Look it up on 'dogpile . com' in Audio if you haven't heard it)

She loved that song and quick as a flash, turned to go down that tunnel…

**-S-W-E-E-T-**

Luffy was going down the exact tunnel as Skie had a moment ago, and saw that it turned into four different tunnels. He could've sworn he smelled cookies over on the far left tunnel…and instantly turned to go down it, just realizing how hungry he was. And besides, maybe he'd find Skie where the cookies were!

**-C-O-O-K-I-E-**

Usopp just flew into the tunnel that Luffy went down into because he bumped the opposite wall and ricocheted into it. And he was screaming, I should add.

**-L-O-L-**

Sanji, still holding Nami, saw the four separate tunnels, and just went for the one that was straight ahead, the one beside the tunnel Luffy flew into.

**-I-C-E-A-G-E-**

Zoro, a bored expression on his face, saw the four splits up ahead also. "Hmm…" he thought to himself, "Which one?" then, he head Skie scream from the far right tunnel. "Oh. Wonderful. She's probably being kidnapped again." he sighed and tried sliding to go into the tunnel he heard Skie's voice come from…but…

He slid into the tunnel wall in between Skie's tunnel and the one next to it…and…you know it had to have freaking hurt. Especially for a guy, you know what I'm sayin'?

"…" one of his eyes twitching, he slid into the tunnel next to Skie's without moving a muscle, an extremely uncomfortable expression on his face.

**-O-W-**

Skie screamed loudly.

In front of her was the largest pile of freaking candy she'd ever seen.

Screaming again, she dove into it. "I love this place!"

But what was this place? What's with the tunnels? What happened to the other crewmates? Will Zoro sound like Alvin the Chipmunk from now on?

Find out next update of…

PSYCHO ON THE GOING MERRY!

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Here's a little texty picture of the tunnel layout they just went in. Because it confuses me as well :P 

( L,U ) ( S,N ) ( Z ) - ( Sk )

L,U is Luffy and Usopp  
S,N is Sanji and Nami  
Z is Zoro  
Sk is Skie  
- is the wall Zoro crashed into

It makes sense, right? Good!

Reviews make me update faster:D


	31. The Dramatic Christmas Play!

**Chapter 31**!

Okay, just for the people who didn't understand what I meant by 'crashed into wall' with Zoro and him sounding like a chipmunk…

He was sliding down with his legs in front of him…and crashed into the ice tunnel wall um…dang it I don't wanna say he crashed 'where da sun don't shine'…BUT I JUST DID! Hah! –dances-

* * *

"Hey! What're you doing in there?" a voice called.

"Hmm? Whozat?" Skie's head popped out of the top of the candy pile, and she looked down at a girl with short bright blue hair, a black t-shirt with a One Piece style skull on it, and black jeans. She had no jacket, which Skie found odd, then realized it was a standable temperature in the ice room.

The girl laughed, "I'm Tasha!"

"No way! Tashaa-Chaan!" Skie jumped out of the pile and tackle/hugged her.

"Nice to see you again too!" she said, squirming.

"What are you doing here?" Skie asked when she let go and slowly backed up so she was within reach of the candy pile again, grabbing a piece now and then.

"I really don't know! I woke up on a freaking cold island. Did you realize there is nothing but snow up overhead? No hills, no valleys, no towns…and then poof! I just fell in a hole and here I am! I keep hearing Christmas music, finding gigantic Christmas trees, and stuff like that all over the place." She pointed at the candy pile, a different Christmas song now heard overhead. (Jingle Bells, rock n' roll version)

Skie's eyes widened, "You don't think…" she said.

"Oh yes. I have thought." Tasha nodded.

"SANTAA!" they both cheered, jumping in the air.

-p-s-y-c-h-o-b-a-b-b-l-e-

Luffy and Usopp slid to a stop at the base of the tunnel, now in a large room that smelled like cookies. Luffy was drooling already, and Usopp was gazing at the gigantic oven in the back of the room, pushed in an indent in the ice wall.

"How is the wall not melting?" he wondered, standing up and brushing himself, "I'm sure Skie would've loved falling into this room…AH! Skie! The others! Do you suppose they got hurt?"

"COOKIES!" Luffy yelled, diving for a plate that was conveniently placed on a small table directly in front of them.

"Luffy, you idiot! That's obviously a trap!" Usopp yelled, chasing after his captain.

They both stepped on a square carved into the ice in front of the cookie-table, and a loud 'ka-rak!' was heard.

"Oh my." Usopp said.

"Whut?" Luffy asked curiously, his mouth full.

The trap door let out and they both fell into darkness.

"AAAAAAaaaaaahhhh…."

-s-u-g-a-r-h-o-l-i-c-

Sanji, Nami screaming like a six year old confronted with a spider and clinging to Sanji like a sock out of the dryer, slid to a slow stop at the end of their tunnel.

"Well! That was fun, eh Nami? Nami? Oh please don't be angry-OW!" Sanji fell over as Nami bopped him in the head with her fist of fury.

"How DARE you bring me down here! I could still be on the ship! Doing something more important!" She stood up off his lap and brushed herself off. When she finally stopped and looked around, her eyes widened "W-wow…" she breathed.

"What?" Sanji, who'd been oblivious to his surroundings as well, stood up and looked around as well, "Holy…"

They were in a huge room filled with toys. Teddy bears, jacks, pogo sticks, dolls, toy swords, and a bunch of cliché stuff like toy trains and boats.

"What the heck? Where are we?" Nami's awe was overshadowed with annoyance again, "Sanji, get me out of here."

"Righto!" Sanji looked around, but saw no doors, "H-how…?" he asked.

"Whaddaya mean 'HOW'?" She barked, "You got me in here, now get me OUT!" she stomped her foot.

"Alright! Alright!" Sanji jogged over to where all the toys were moving through the room on a conveyer belt. There were hundreds of conveyer belts, the lowest reaching his ankle, the highest reaching the ceiling that was uber high.

"The only way I see out of here is to take a ride on one of these." He pointed at the conveyer belt.

"What? Who knows where that goes!" Nami said.

Sanji shrugged, a pitiful expression on his face that said 'I'm doin' my best…'

Nami sighed, giving into the puppy eyes her boyfriend was giving her, "Oh alright…" She sighed and walked over, sitting on the widest conveyer belt, "Hurry up or I'll leave ya!" she smiled back at him as the belt carried her through the room.

Sanji had a little panic moment and ran after her, sitting down behind her, "It's like a roller coaster." He grinned.

"Yeah, a kiddy roller coaster…" Nami said, "I'm bored already…Sanji, what's that?" she pointed up ahead to the large hole in the ice where the toys fit through on the belt. Just before they vanished in the dark, what looked like seatbelts strapped around them.

"I don't know…" Sanji said, putting his arms around her warily as they drew closer, "But don't worry, I won't let whatever it is hurt you!" he said valiantly.

"Oh, my hero!" Nami said playfully.

Sanji grinned stupidly, and then they entered the hole in the ice, and sprouted from the bottom of the belt, and belted them to the conveyer.

"Ack! Why would we need seat belt-" the conveyer belt suddenly dipped down, increasing speed incredibly.

Just like a roller coaster, the belt dipped and swerved, spun around and twirled.

"GYAAAAAAH!" the couple shrieked.

-e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y-

Zoro halted abruptly by smacking into a tree trunk.

"…" after a minute or two of just lying there in pain, he stood up. Brushing himself off, he looked around, and with one raised eyebrow, saw the huge ice room was filled with huge Christmas trees covered in pretty glittering lights.

"Oh great. A forest. What the HECK is a forest doing under here?!" he roared, snapping and spazzing for a moment. He walked through the trees, trying to find a way out, but not succeeding.

"HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE?!" he yelled loudly.

He started walking through the trees again. "Must…find…door…so…I…can…murder…Skie…" he growled. He pushed a large branch out of his way, and it swung back and smacked him in the back of the head.

"OW!" ye yelled, hitting the floor. He stood back up, bonking his head on a tree branch above him. "Ow again!" he rubbed the top of his head gingerly. "I hate trees now! Hate 'em! YOU HEAR THAT TREES?!" he yelled, waving his arms in the air. "I need to get outta here! I'm goin' crazy!"

He stopped, he could hear something…it sounded like…

"A swordfight?" Zoro's interest instantly perked up and he headed for the clashing sound of steel on steel. But when he reached the point where the sound was loudest, a large ice wall was standing in his way. "Alright…"

He turned around, and hoisted up a huge tree on one shoulder, "YAAAAH!" he charged forward, but the tree shattered into a ton of little tiny fragments as it hit the ice wall, which stood strong.

Zoro flew back. "Okay! THAT'S IT!" Zoro roared, then drew his swords and charged the wall, then, just before he struck at the wall, something caught his eye…

He tried to stop, and slid on the ice floor right into the ice wall. He peeled himself off the wall and looked to the side, "Oh look, a door." He said, grinding his teeth as he threw the door open and walked into a darkened room, the floor covered in red velvet carpet.

"Where the heck am I-Ack!" something yanked him to the floor. "What the-Skie?!" he roared.

"Shut up! They'll see you!" Skie whispered.

"Yeah! Shut up! Holy wow it's Zoro!" A girl with shot blue hair said, sitting next to Skie. Sanji and Nami were with them too, as were Usopp and Luffy.

"Who're you?" Zoro said.

"Tasha." She smiled.

"Okay. Now what's going on?"

"Watch." Skie pointed in front of them, towards the center of the room, lights were shining down on three people…two of them fighting…

"Back! I will not let anything happen to her!" one roared furiously. He had chain mail on and a gray headband keeping his spiky black hair out of his handsome face. There was a single bright fiery orange feather sticking out of the top of his headband. His sword was a regular looking sword, only it had a blue blade.

"I'm gonna slice her to ribbons!" his opponent laughed. He had black pants on, a black trench coat, and a white shirt under it with a golden locket around his neck. His sword had a black blade with orange flame all around it.

"Leave him alone!" a girl shouted dramatically. She was wearing a green shirt and dark brown baggy pants and a necklace with some sort of tooth on the end. "Stop it! Stop it!" she was far too injured to get up and stop them herself. Blood was pouring from wounds on both arms. Her previous opponent obviously knew how to disarm an enemy. "Jake stop it! You'll be killed! Just get out of here!" the girl yelled, coughing.

"I'm not gonna leave you, Elien!" the guy with the gray bandana yelled.

Skie gasped, clasping both hands over her mouth, Tasha was the same way.

"Shouldn't we…you know…do something?" Zoro said, narrowing his eyes as he got to stand up.

"Sit down, idiot." Skie barked quietly, yanking him back to the floor.

"Don't be so mean to Zoro-San…" Tasha said.

"Oh, sorry." Skie smiled apologetically, "Would Moss-Head be better?"

"Yes." Tasha smiled.

"Ugh…" Zoro groaned, but kept his eyes on the fight, his muscles ready to pounce if his help was needed. What the heck was wrong with him? And why wasn't Luffy spazzing about injustice or something like that? Something twisted was going on…

Jake's enemy danced around him, edging closer to Elien with each step, and then finally...He grabbed her shoulder roughly and brought her up in front of him, placing blade against her neck, the flames now gone. Elien cried out in pain. Pyro was grinning at Jake.

"PYRO! LET HER GO!" Jake yelled, but not daring to move himself.

"Give it to me, or she dies!" Pyro barked, still grinning.

"That was a bit cliché…" Tasha said.

"Yeah, a bit…" Nami nodded, Skie nodding also.

Sanji and Usopp looked angry, Luffy was expressionless.

Jake hesitated, but slowly took something out of his pocket, it looked like a small folded piece of paper.

"Jake, no!" Elien said, shaking her head slightly.

Jake didn't reply, but held the note out to Pyro, "Give me Elien…" he said icily.

Pyro smirked, but shoved Elien towards Jake and snatched the note out of his hand. "Good boy. Now watch this." Pyro's sword suddenly grew at least a foot longer and he lunged forward, aiming to stab Elien right through the back.

"NO!" Jake twirled Elien out of the way, and took the hit himself, the sword piercing him through the chest.

Zoro went to stand up again, but was yanked down by both Nami and Skie this time, "Stop it!" they scolded.

"But-"

"Shhh!" Tasha shushed, then turned back to the scene in front of them.

"J-Jake!" Elien cried, falling to her knees as Jake did.

Pyro sighed, yanking his blade roughly from Jake's chest, "Silly, silly, human…" he shook his head and 'tsked'.

Elien narrowed her eyes as she glared up at Pyro with pure hate and malice. With a shaky hand, she picked up a nearby sword that had been discarded earlier…her own sword she dropped when Pyro sliced her arms. As she touched the blade, blue flame burst from it, curling around her arm and around her shoulders.

"What?!" Pyro took one step back, and Elien took the advantage to strike and leapt forward, her arms screaming for her to stop using them, to put the sword down, but something fueled her to keep going.

She roared, swinging the blade in tight archs, Pyro blocking each one with growing fear as her strikes became faster and faster, stronger and stronger.

They fought hard, shifting, twirling, dancing around the floor in a flurry of swipes and cuts and blood and fire. Then, Elien leapt in the air, spinning in the air once, and kicking Pyro hard in the nose with her foot.

There was a loud crack as he struck the floor, and lay there unmoving.

Elien dropped the sword, letting herself yell in pain finally, her arms pulsing. She turned slowly and crawled back to Jake, who was somehow still breathing slowly, his eyes barely open. "Jake? Jake…? Please don't die…" she said, holding him up so he was sitting up slightly.

Jake opened his eyes a bit wider, "When I see your smile…tears run down my face I can't replace…and now that I'm strong I have figured out that the world turns cold and it breaks my soul and I know that I'll find deep inside me... I'll be the one. I will never let you fall. I'll stand up with you forever…I'll be there for you through it all…even if saving you sends me to heaven…" he coughed, a few drops of blood spilling from his mouth. "It's okay…" he smiled at her.

She was crying now, crying hard.

"Seasons are crashing and waves are crashing and stars are falling all for us. Days grow longer and nights grow shorter…I can show you I'll be the one. I will never let you fall…I'll stand up with you forever, I'll be for you through it all…even if saving you sends me to heaven…"

"Jake…"

"Because you're my…my true love…my whole heart, please don't throw that away. Because I'm here for you…" his breathing was getting slower, and he was a bit quieter.

"I will never let you fall. I'll stand up with you forever…I'll be there for you through it all. Even if saving you…sends me…to heaven…" he leaned up and kissed her gently, her eyes widening, and his closing for one last time. "I love you Elien." He said, and his neck went limp and he didn't open his eyes.

"Jake? Jake…? Jake! Please don't leave!" she wailed, hugging him as she cried. The light that Zoro just noticed were pointing at them faded, and then turned brighter, illuminating the whole room.

"What?" Zoro looked around, and noticed he was sitting on the floor, the rest of his crew and Tasha were sitting in comfortable theater seats…he just thought they were sitting on a rock or something…but chairs? COME ON! "What am I doing on the ground?" he growled?"

"Sorry Zoro-San…There wasn't enough room for you!" Tasha smiled.

"Sure…" Zoro looked around…seeing a whole THEATERS worth of empty chairs.

Then the spotlights lit up the stage, Jake, Elien, and Pyro stand up. They grinned and bowed, "Thank you! Thank you!" they said as the entire crew (except Zoro) burst into applause.

"WHOO! YEAH!" Skie yelled, sniffling.

Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Skie, and Tasha were all sniffing, holding back tears. Zoro looked ticked, and Luffy was just clapping because he liked the fight scene.

"Okay. What kind of cheery thing was that all about?" Zoro said, "I mean, this looks like a Christmas type place right? What the HECK is with the death scene?" he threw his arms in the air.

"You idiot…if youd've gotten here sooner…Oh sorry, I mean…You Moss-Head! If you'dve gotten here sooner, you would've known the whole story!" Skie sighed.

"You see," said Tasha. "The evil Pyro guy wanted Santa's list…and Jake and Elien (who happen to be undercover for Santa) are protecting it." Tasha explained.

"Oh. But why was it so dang bloody?" Zoro said.

"Because…they can do that. It's not like that play is gonna go public, you idiot." Sanji said, rolling his eyes.

"Shaddup, you Whirly-Curly-Eyebrow." Zoro barked.

Tasha twirled around, "That was so romantic!" she said.

"It was!" Skie said, joining in with the twirling.

"WHEEE!" Luffy joined in, the rest of the crew shaking their heads.

"Well. I wonder what's gonna happen next." Zoro said.

"OMIGOSH!" Skie and Tasha screamed.

"AAUGH!" Luffy yelled.

"What? What is it? Timmy fell in the well?" Zoro said sarcastically.

"No! Better!" Tasha said, not realizing what she just said, "It's a penguin!"

* * *

See, Tasha-Chan? I put you in! Don't worry, You'll get a much bigger role in the next chapter:D Cheery Christmas story eh? I wish I could've really seen it…

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**!


	32. Penguin Elf and the Ice Tunnel 'o DOOM

**Chapter 32**

Such a late chapter, this is!

**_I'M A PROCRASTINATOR!_**

* * *

"Penguin? Oh that's just facinating. I mean, really." Zoro replied flatly. 

"Shut up." Skie said, glaring back at him. "C'mere and look!"

"No." he said moodily.

"I wanna see the penguin!" Luffy cheered, running over to Skie. Sanji, Nami, and Usopp did as well. They all crowded around Skie, looking at Tasha, who was holding the little creature like a super-special-awesome (lol Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged) stuffed animal.

"Isn't it adorable!" Tasha said picking up the little animal.

It squeaked in reply.

Skie and Tasha both squealed and hugged it tightly.

"That poor, poor creature…" Nami said, shaking her head.

Zoro rubbed his hand through his hair, just noticing it was full of pine needles. "Rrrgh!" he shook his head, sending pine needles flying. This really was starting to be a not-so-jolly-Christmas for him. But heck, just about every holiday was not-so-jolly with him.

The penguin squirmed and chirped.

"I think it wants you to put it down," said Usopp.

"But we don't wanna!" Tasha and Skie both said stubbornly.

Then the penguin stared up at them, with its abnormally huge chibi eyes that sparkled sadly. It was just begging for them to put him down.

"Omigosh he's so cyute!" Skie said, and the two put him down. "Awww!"

"Girls are weird." Luffy stated, getting a smack in the back of the head from Sanji.

The penguin flapped his little flippers and shook his head before chirping again.

"Is he trying to tell us something?" Nami wondered.

"He wants me to pick him up again." Tasha said. She didn't know if that was true, she just wanted to squeeze the little bird in another teddy bear hug.

The penguin chirped again and stomped its foot, getting another double squeal from Skie and Tasha. The mini-bird left eye twitched, as if annoyed to no end. Which it probably was.

"Can you try to talk, little bird?" Luffy asked, grinning widely.

"If it could talk, it would have told these two to put it down earlier." Zoro said, pointing at Skie and Tasha.

"Pointing's not polite, Moss-Head." Skie said, crossing her arms indignantly.

"How many times to I have to tell you not to call me that?" he growled.

"Moss-Head."

"Stop that!"

"Mooss-Heeaad."

"Cut it out!"

"OMG MOSS-HEAD."

"I'm warnin' you!"

"Who you gonna call? MOSS-HEAD!"

"DAT'S IT!" Zoro roared. But before he could do anything else, the little penguin waddled its way between Tasha and Skie and kicked Zoro in the shin, harder than anyone could expect a little penguin only about eight inches tall to kick.

Zoro cursed loudly and fell over.

"No swearing in front of the ladies!" Sanji barked.

The penguin audibly sighed. "Alright, enough pretending." It said.

"HOLY COW, TALKING BIRD!" Usopp yelped, hiding behind Nami.

The penguin stared at Usopp with an expression that hindered on dislike, when he turned to face the rest of them. "Ugh, this is embarrassing…" he mumbled to himself, then spoke a bit louder, "I'm an elf. I'm not a penguin." He pointed at himself with a flipper.

"EH?" was the standard response from everyone.

"There's a machine in the main room for toymaking, it turns old, used toys into brand new ones, and I…Well I was new and I sorta fell in. It changed me into a penguin stuffed animal." He sighed heavily, anime tears falling from his eyes.

"I thought you were a bit too squishy." Tasha said, nodding knowingly.

The penguin huffed, "Yeah well, I need you guys to try and help me reverse this. After the machine sucked me though, the toymaking room was shut down. When the lights flickered back on, all my fellow elves had vanished. I think it was the machine that caused the power out, but I dunno…" he strayed into thought.

"And who the heck would kidnap a bunch of elves?" Zoro said.

The penguin flapped it's flippers, "How should I know?!"

"OMG!" Skie said suddenly, crouching down in front of the stuffed animal, "Have you ever seen Happy Feet?"

"I don't have time for this! I need help!" the elf-turned-penguin yelped, stomping its foot, which made Skie squeal. "Now, all of you follow me-"

"IS SANTA HERE?" Tasha asked loudly, grinning like a little kid.

"IS HE?!" Skie said, sounding just as excited and childish.

"…" The penguin looked at them, Zoro could have sworn he had flinched away from them, obviously weirded out. "Of course he is." The penguin grunted, and turned around again, waddling towards the other end of the auditorium they were still in. "And next time I see those three idiots who put on that horrid play, I'm gonna –_muttergrumble_-"

Zoro smirked.

They followed the little penguin (who had gone from walking to sliding on his stomach for speed reasons) through the back of the auditorium and down a long hallway made of smooth blue ice. Despite being underground and no lights being in sight, it was well lit, the ice itself seeming to glow. Skie wondered why a power outage would even bother them if the ice glowed.

"This tunnel is so long," Skie whined after about an hour of silent walking, "Where's the hot chocolate that this place is supposed to have at every corner?"

The little penguin grunted in irritation, not replying.

"Santa's elves are a grouchy bunch." Tasha said to Skie.

"I wonder if they get paid."

"What if they paid in hot chocolate and candy?" Sanji said.

"I'd so work here!" Tasha and Skie both said. When they realized they spoke at the same time, they gave each other a high five.

"Are we there yet?" Nami said.

"Does it look like we're there?" the penguin grumbled irritably.

"Don't talk to my Nami-Swan like that!" Sanji barked. But the penguin didn't flinch. Hey, Santa's elves weren't exactly ever beat up or threatened, so he really didn't have anything to worry about.

Finally, after who knows how long, they reached an opening in the end of the nearly-endless tunnel. It opened up into an inconceivably huge room. Skie now understood why it would have been trouble if the lights went out. The icy blue walls were all covered in huge posters of instructions on how to put certain toys together. And behind those was a layer of gold and red foil wrapping paper.

"This is the newbie room. Guys just starting out work in here." The penguin said. "Yeah, I'm new…" he glared at Sanji as the cook looked at him curiously.

Skie ran forward, noticing that the floor was hardwood and the whole room just made her feel all cheerful like every kid feels when Christmas is near. The room was deserted, that much was certain. Toy parts lay strewn across the floor, and various machines fizzled. "Who did this?"

"I have no clue." The penguin said, "You guys think you could help?"

"Why us?" Zoro asked.

"Well, you idiots did fall into our factory. She ate almost half the candy stock," he pointed at Skie, "YOU wrecked a ton of trees," he pointed at Zoro.

"Hey, THEY attacked ME!" he retorted.

"Along with various other problems. In short, you owe us. Now go forth and find the kidnapper person!" the penguin said, "I've got stuff I gotta do." He said, and waddled towards a little door and vanished.

"H-Hey! Come back little penguin!" Skie yelled. But it would be impossible to fit through the door, so she sulked back to the group of pirates.

"Now what?" Tasha asked curiously, inching slowly towards Zoro, who was inching away.

"We have to save the elves!" Luffy yelled suddenly, throwing his fist in the air.

"What?" Zoro sounded very unenthused and unwilling.

"We have too! Santa could be in trouble!" Luffy whined.

"WHAAAT?!" Tasha and Skie roared, causing everyone to jump back away from them (except Luffy). "We gotta do something!" Tasha said. Skie nodded.

"But what?" Nami asked.

"First, we should find a door!" Luffy said, everyone sweatdropped.

"No kidding, Luffy." Usopp said, shaking his head.

Luffy bound across the large, large, large room, the rest of his crew following. Skie and Tasha were in the back, attempting to keep up. Skie really wanted to jump and see if she could touch the high ceiling.

Tasha suddenly tripped, and flew forward, landing on a huge, oversized skateboard that lurched forward, knocking Skie onto it. "AAAAH!" the two screamed as it zoomed towards the rest of the crew. First Usopp went down onto it, then Nami, Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy.

They all screamed as they hurtled towards a huge pair of wooden double doors directly in front of them. The skateboard crashed through the doors with a loud bang, and it slowed down drastically, but still moving forward slowly.

Everyone was silent for a second, before they started laughing nervously.

"Heh, that…that was fun…" Nami said.

"LET'S DO IT AGAIN!" Luffy yelled.

"No, Luffy." Sanji growled, just noticing Nami was holding onto his arm and sitting in his lap, which caused numerous hearts to start swirling around him. Skie and Tasha were clutching Zoro's arm in a death grip.

"You're gonna put my arm to sleep! Leggo!" he barked.

The two of them let go, only Skie complaining about cooties. "Hey, what's that?" she wondered, pointing at a sign that was nailed to the ice wall as their skateboard slowly passed it.

It read: Hope you brought your sled!

"Uh…" Nami raised an eyebrow.

Another sign they passed read: This is NOT a slide!

"A slide?" Usopp looked down the tunnel for the first time and screamed. "GUYS GUYS GUYS! WE GONNA DIE!" he yelled, shoving himself to the back of the skateboard where Tasha and Skie were.

The tunnel slowly started slanting downwards, and the Skateboard slowly started getting faster.

"YAY!" Luffy cheered, "This is gonna be fun, right guys?"

"AAAAAAH!" was their reply.

The skateboard hurtled down the tunnel, which was getting steeper and steeper by the second. Only two minutes had gone by and it was almost vertical.

"WAHOOO!" Luffy yelled, sitting at the front of the skateboard, clinging to the front. He laughed loudly, his voice echoing throughout the tunnel.

Nami was clinging to Luffy, Sanji was clinging to Nami, and Zoro refused to cling to anybody so he just gripped the sides of the huge skateboard while Usopp clung to him, and Tasha and Skie clung to Usopp.

Suddenly, the tunnel turned, and the skateboard flew up the side, sending them in a loop over it. The tunnel turned yet again, but they all leaned away from the side so they skateboard didn't hurl them in an upside-down whirl again.

(Imagine the movie Ice Age xD)

The tunnel turned yet again, and dipped suddenly.

"This is actually sorta fun!" Tasha shouted to Skie over the other's screaming.

Skie looked around. "You know what? It kinda is!" she grinned.

"YAHOOO!" the two joined Luffy in his yellings and put one of their arms in the air, the other still clinging to Usopp.

"Skie! Where do you think we're going?" Tasha shouted.

"I dunno!" Skie shouted back.

And so, after many twists, turns, dips, upside-down loops that couldn't be stopped (and only half the crew enjoying it) another pair of large double doors appeared in front of them as the tunnel took one last dip downwards. The doors opened as they approached, and the skateboard flew between them and into another room. And with a loud CRASH they rolled into a huge pile of empty cardboard boxes, and were quickly buried beneath the huge mountain of cardboard.

The crew heard several shouts of surprise and irritation. Tasha was the first to clamber up to the top of the pile and poke through the mountain. "Santa?" she squeaked in surprise.

"SANTA?" Skie yelled, appearing next to Tasha and sending a couple boxes flying.

"Skie…You're standing on my head." Zoro growled from somewhere inside the cardboard box mess.

* * *

Yay! **SANTA**! 

Make sure you check out my other 'story', 'Ask the Characters of Psycho on the Going Merry!'! It's based off of Kelly's idea, Ask Zoro :D SO CHEKKIT OUT YO!

OMG I better update soon! Or else! -shakes fist at self-  
Sorry everyone. I've been sidetracked by my other stories...and yet I STILL don't update THEM. DARN IT. I can't handle my procrastination any longer! Steps must be taken! Oh, and I've been reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! OMG...Leave me be, I must finish reading it.

AND IA READ IT IN 22 HOURS! HOW?! YOU FREAK! But Zac read it in 21. HAH. He's a bigger freak. MY FRIENDS ARE FREAKS! COOL: D

**ROOTBEER** AND **ROCK**! CAPS LOCK IS COOL!


	33. Santa

**Chapter 33**

A bit shorter than some, but longer than others.

I'd call this chapter 'average'.

Enjoy! And _please_ review!

* * *

And indeed it was Santa. He was just like they'd pictured him. Round, thick white fluffy-looking beard, red nose, red cheeks, big red coat, and a big black belt with a cold buckle.

"Sa-Sa-Sa-Saaanta!" Skie and Tasha jumped forward, hugging the tall elf like he was a giant teddy bear.

"Whoa!" Santa stumbled backward before steadying himself. "Hello, Tasha! Hello, Skie!" he said cheerfully. "Have you been good this year?"

"We've been good, we've been good!" they both said, nodding vigorously.

Zoro snickered. "Pfft. Yeah right."

Santa gave Zoro a look before putting the two girls down. "Alright, now what's wrong?" he asked.

"The noobie room's elves have all been kidnapped!" Skie said, waving her arms wildly as if she was trying to fly.

"What?" Santa blinked, "Kidnapped? My new elves kidnapped?" his voice took on a tone that the Straw Hat crew would never have suspected Santa capable of. With a floosh of his large coat, he twirled around and headed towards two huge metal double doors near the back of the room. "Elves," he said, getting the attention of every two foot tall person in the room. Which was a _lot_. The room was absolutely huge. Ten of the noobie rooms could easily fit inside it, plus more!

"Sir!" they all said, straightening up as if standing at attention.

"Search everywhere. We've got elves to rescue." He threw open the huge double doors and turned to the crew, "You seven, follow me, please." He said, looking at the crew.

They nodded and walked through the now bustling crowd of elves and followed Santa through the doors. Inside, was a huge sheet of paper that was only about a foot wide, but it was connected to a machine that reminded Skie and Tasha of one of those newspaper printers.

"Is that…" Tasha started.

"Yes. The Naughty Nice List. I've already gotten it checked twice, after all Christmas is tomorrow." He said, smiling cheerfully again.

"It is?!" Skie yelped.

"Of course it is!" the others said, sighing.

Santa looked at her curiously, as if asking 'Didn't you know?'.

"Sorry. I lose track of time." She shrugged.

"Ah." They all nodded.

"Idiot." Zoro grunted, shaking his head. He received a kick to the back of the knee from Skie, causing him to fall forward and roll over. "GAH! Skie, I'm going to KILL you!" he roared.

"Hey, you started it," Skie said, not at all threatened. His death threats were getting pretty old, to tell the truth.

Zoro growled and stood up, following the rest of them grouchily.

Santa approached another room, opening the large red oak door and stepping through.

Following, Tasha glanced back at the list one more time, "Hey Santa?" she called, "I'm on the Nice side…right?" she asked.

Santa laughed, "Sorry. I can't say. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see. And until that, I need to get our elves back so I can leave. It's getting late…I have to leave at ten PM. It's six forty…" he said, glancing at a large wooden grandfather clock in the new room. The new room resembled an elegant office, everything decorated in wreathes, and twinkly Christmas lights.

There was a plate of sugar cookies on the desk. "Mrs. Clause must have made these for me," he said cheerfully, picking up a cookie and munching on it. "Want any?" he asked.

"Yes please!" Luffy, Usopp, Skie, and Tasha rushed forward, each grabbing a cookie. Luffy tried to grab four, but Tasha slapped his hand, telling him not to be rude.

"Oh. My. Gosh. These are the bestest cookies I've ever tasted!" Skie squealed.

"They are!" Tasha agreed, not knowing whether to scarf it down, or eat it slowly.

"Thank you! Mrs. Clause has had centuries to perfect the recipe."

"And perfect it she has!" Tasha said.

Santa smiled cheerfully and sat down in a large chair. "I need you to tell me what you know about what happened." He said. Even when he sounded serious, he gave off a cheery sort of glow.

"We didn't see it. We fell through a hole and fell down here," Nami started.

"Yeah! Then we went down all these twisty turny tunnels and-" Luffy was interrupted by Zoro smacking him in the back of the head. "Oww! Zoro!"

"We were in the auditorium when we meant one of the noobie elves." Zoro said flatly, "Only he'd fallen into some machine and turned himself into a stuffed penguin."

"A stuffed penguin?" Santa raised an eyebrow. "That happens from time to time…"

"Yeah…" Zoro decided not to talk anymore.

"And?" Santa said, watching Zoro.

The swordsman grunted in reply.

"Please excuse him. He was raised by wolves." Skie shrugged, ignoring the glare she could feel Zoro giving her. "The penguin-elf told us that he had fallen in the machine, and the power had gotten out. He didn't see who took them, but I guess the kidnappers didn't take him because he looked like a normal stuffed toy. Anyway, when the power came back on again, the room was deserted." Skie shrugged her shoulders helplessly, "He told us to find them, and we ended up slipping on a giant skateboard, and coming down here."

"Was the tunnel fun?" Santa asked suddenly.

"It was a bit scary at first, but it was fun after the shock of it all got over with." Tasha grinned.

"Good, good." Santa grinned and stood up, "Thank you. If you'd like, you could help us search. Or, if you'd rather, I can have one of my elves lead you back up to the surface and back to your ship." He offered.

"We're gonna stay and fight!" Skie, Tasha, and Luffy said.

"I didn't say there was going to be any fighting…" Santa started, "Do you think there will be?"

"With kidnappings, there usually is fighting, yes." Zoro said. "And if Luffy's staying, guess I'll have to stay too."

"I'll stay and fight too. As long as I'm on the Nice list." Nami grinned. Santa raised an eyebrow at her, but shrugged.

"I'll stay with Nami-Swaan!" Sanji sang, hugging Nami.

"I-I-I'll fight too! But I won't get in the way! In fact, I could go back up to the ship!" Usopp said.

"Usopp! We need you!" Luffy said, clapping his crewmate on the back.

Usopp sighed, "Okay…"

"Well then!" Santa sounded different again, "If it's a fight we're gonna get in, then we'll have to get ready for one!" he said, slamming his hands on the desk enthusiastically. The plate of cookies nearly fell off the table with the vibration, but Skie caught them, cradling the cookies as if they were kittens.

"Santa Clause fights?" Tasha asked, looking at Skie curiously.

Skie shrugged, "I didn't know that."

"We need to be able to defend ourselves, yes. But we don't…'fight'." He stuck his tongue out, like a little kid showing his dislike for vegetables.

"Well then!" Tasha said, "Let's get to it!"

* * *

Originally, I was going to make this chapter all rhymes. But then thought, 'Naaah'. I'm so lazy xD

**Rootbeer** and **Rock**!


	34. Christmas Finale! FINALLY!

**Chapter 34!**

I decided to finish up the Christmas arc with a final, super-long chapter.

Kelly, there's somethin' near the end just for you.  
You were conspiring with Santa behind my back, weren't you?

* * *

When they re-entered the large toy-room, all of the equipment had been cleared off and the items that could be moved were against the walls. Elves were lined up like mini-military men, each wearing a helmet. The helmet style varied. Some wore red fireman hats, some wore yellow hard hats for construction, some wore army hats, and one elf (whom Skie now dubbed the coolest elf ever) wore an Indiana Jones hat. 

"They're so cuuute!" Nami said.

"We elves ain't cute!" one piped out from the ranks.

"Yeah! We're kick-ass elves now!"

Santa's face turned purple. "WHAT HAVE I SAID ABOUT SWEARING?! THIS IS CHRISTMAS, DAMMIT!"

Everyone grew eerily silent.

"Santaaa!" Skie gasped.

Santa blinked. "Oh. My apologies. Sorry."

"He's got high blood pressure you know." Everyone turned to see who had spoken and saw someone who could be none other than Mrs. Clause. "He's had too many close-calls with missing Christmas and what not. Oh, and there was that time Jack Frost tried to take over. Remember that, dear?" (LOL! MOVIE REFERENCE!)

"Yes of course," Santa grinned from ear to ear cheerfully.

"Thanks for baking those cookies, Mrs. Clause! They were soooo good." Tasha said, almost drooling at the mere thought of them.

Mrs. Clause smiled. "You're welcome, dear. Anytime."

"WHOO! ANYTIME!" Skie threw her arms in the air enthusiastically.

"WHOOO!" All the elves did the same, copying her movement.

"Where are the reindeer?" Santa asked, a little elf climbing up to a ladder next to him and putting an army hat over his normal red and white one.

"All armored up and ready to go, Santa." The elf on the ladder said.

"Good, good. Wait, armored up? What does that mean?"

"It means they're wearing armor, duh." Zoro grumbled.

Skie stomped on Zoro's foot, and the green-haired swordsman started hopping around on one foot barking random insults before stumbling back into a pile of boxes pushed up against a wall.

"We just want the reindeer to be protected and able to fight back full force, Santa, sir." The elf said.

"Ah…okay…" Santa rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'll go and get the reindeer, dear." Mrs. Clause smiled cheerfully and exited the room.

Santa looked at the Straw Hats, then at his elves."I guess it's time to fight then, right?"

"AYE!" the elves all shouted.

"GIMME A 'W'!" Tasha shouted.

"W!" the elves roared.

"GIMME AN 'E'!"

"E!"

"GIMME A 'R'!"

"R!"

"GIMME AN 'O'!"

"O!"

"GIMME A 'C'!"

"C!"

"GIMME A 'K'!"

"K!"

"What does that spell?" she asked cheerfully.

"WE ROCK!" everyone shouted, and hats of various types flew into the air.

**-l-o-l-**

Well, they were all set up to fight. That was for sure (although Santa was still a bit uneasy about it all). But they still had to _find_ their enemies. So the straw hats each split up, taking a small group of elves with them. Santa took most of his army with him and would search all the secret passageways.

Skie and her group of seven elves were back in the Christmas tree room, Skie giggling every time she saw a broken branch or a knocked over tree, knowing Zoro had been the one who was practically beaten up here.

"Skie, right?" one of the elves asked. It was the elf who wore the Indiana Jones hat (Skie started flipping out when she saw he'd be following her).

"Yep, yep, Lil' Indie." She said.

"My name is Ralph."

"I'll call you Indie."

Ralph grumbled, "Fine, fine. But do you know where we're going? Shouldn't one of us elves lead since we live here?"

"Nope! I've got a girl's intuition!"

The other elves sighed heavily.

"Can I lead? Please?" Ralph asked.

"Nope. I'm stubborn. Don't try changing my mind."

"Bah." Ralph grumbled again but kept quiet.

They reached the other side of the huge, sparkling Christmas tree room, and spotted another door. Skie hopped over her group of elves and opened it. "What's this room? It's pitch black in here." Skie noted.

"That's weird. This is the Christmas light room…" an elf with a fighter pilot's helmet on said. The helmet was way too big for him, so Skie thought he was adorable too. "Usually this place is always fully lit."

"I have a strangely suspicious feeling." Skie said.

"Great." Ralph walked past her, disappearing into the dark. "Lemme find the light switch-Whoa!" he yelled in surprise.

Skie grunted and jumped into the dark, "HIYAA!" she roared.

"RAAAH!" apparently, she'd gotten a lucky shot and kicked Ralph's would-be-capturer.

Skie grabbed for Ralph, catching him by the back of his shirt, and chucked him at the square light source that was the open door. "RUN FOR IT! GET SANTA AND EVERYONE AND GET BACK HERE! Oi! Let go!" Skie barked.

The seven elves hesitated for a moment before rushing away from the open door. As they ran, they heard Skie shout "See? Told you! Girl's intuition! Hah! I SAID LET GO, YA STUPID- Hey! It's you! You're-"

The door slammed shut with a dramatic echo-ish sound effect that silenced Skie.

-o-m-g- -d-o-u-b-l-e- -l-o-l-

"SANTAAA!" Ralph and the six others shouted, running quickly through every secret passage they came across. They ran into Santa and the other elves in a big room covered in Star Wars posters. "Santa, they got Skie! We know where they're hiding!"

"They what? Kidnap? Again? THAT'S IT! NO MORE MR. NICE ELF!" Santa yelled.

"Your blood pressure, Santa." An elf chirped by his side.

"I'm calm…" Santa said.

"What's with the yelling?"

Everyone screamed and turned around to see Roronoa Zoro standing at the other entrance in the back of the room with his group of five elves. "What is it?"

"Skie's been kidnapped." Santa said.

Zoro's eye twitched, "_Again_?"

"Again? She's been kidnapped before?" Ralph asked.

"Oh, many, _many_ times…hell, I'm gonna kill her when I rescue her." He walked towards the other door, the elves parting to get out of his way.

"Zoro?" Ralph called, causing the swordsman to stop.

"What?" he snapped, turning around and glaring down.

"Do you even know where you're going?"

Zoro was silent, glaring at a nearby poster of Han Solo.

"I think I heard yelling from over here, Sanji-Kun." Nami's voice called. Nami and Sanji emerged from the door Zoro just came from, "Ah, hello everyone." She greeted.

"Skie's been kidnapped again," Zoro informed then.

"Again?!" Nami groaned loudly, smacking her forehead.

"We hafta rescue poor Skie-Chan!" Sanji wailed.

"This way! Follow me!" Ralph waved his arm and started running down the hall, and the army of elves, Santa, Zoro, Nami, and Zoro followed close behind.

**-s-t-a-m-p-e-d-e-**

They reached the door, and Nami was the one who opened it (to Sanji's annoyingly shrill protesting). As soon as she had the door open, a hand zoomed out at her. She shrieked and ducked, and Sanji spun over her like an enraged helicopter-guy, legs spinning and blocking the numerous knives that flew at them through the door and kicking the disembodied hand to the side.

"Hmm." Zoro said flatly, "I wonder who we're up against today."

"Idiot." Nami said.

"I was being sarcastic!" Zoro yelled.

Sanji pointed at Zoro, "Don't you talk to my Nami-Swan like that!"

"Shut up, you mamby-pamby-pansy!"

Suddenly, the lights inside the room of which they'd yet to enter turned on, blinding them momentarily.

They all cautiously entered the room, looking around nervously. The light room was huge also, you could have fit fifty armies of elves in that room without getting too close together. The walls were lined with glowing Christmas lights of various types and sizes. Some flashed, some blinked, some made cool patterns, the room just sparkled with it all.

"So! The Straw Hats finally show themselves!" a voice laughed echoed around them, and the door out of the light room slammed shut, making them all jump. "Glad you could make it!"

"What is the meaning of this?" Santa barked.

"Steady now, Big Man," the voice laughed again.

"That's Mr. Clause, to you!" an elf barked angrily.

"Quiet, shrimp!" the voice sounded angry again.

"Oi, cut the crap and tell us where Skie is." Zoro said, his eyes scanning the room for anything suspicious.

"What? Oh. Her. Right." There was a pause, "Hold on." Another long pause later (in which one elf yawned, then all of them started yawning) there was a loud metallic clank, and a tall glass box fell from an opening in the ceiling and clanked to the ground. Inside the glass box was Skie.

"Skie!" They all rushed forward.

"Skie, are you all right?" Nami demanded.

"Are you okay, Skie-Chan?!" Sanji said.

Zoro was looking up at the ceiling for the person responsible.

"Guys!" Skie said.

"What?! Are you hurt?! What is it?!"

"Watch this!" she pressed her hands up against the glass, then pressed a hand against the top of the glass box, and the other hand on the side of the glass box.

"What're you doing?" Ralph said slowly.

"I'm a mime!" She said happily.

They all grew silent, Skie grinning obliviously, continuing to pretend she was a mime.

"THIS IS NO TIME TO BE PLAYING MIIIIME!" Zoro roared angrily, his forehead almost touching the glass, "I'M GOING TO _KILL_ YOU WHEN WE RESCUE YOU!"

"I don't need no rescue! Listen to mah bad grammah! Hahahaaah!" Skie laughed loudly.

"What'd you do to Skie? She's stupider." Zoro raised an eyebrow.

"She was never stupid! Shut up!" Sanji yelled.

"I gave her a cookie with some stuff in it to make her loopy so she wouldn't try to break the glass again. You really can't, it's bulletproof-"

Zoro's fist and Sanji's foot went through the glass, and Zoro snatched her out before the glass could touch her.

"Gotcha," Zoro said.

"AAAGH!" the voice shrieked, "CURSE YOU, STRAW HATS!"

"That's for druggin' Skie-Chan!" Sanji barked.

"My mime box! Nooo!" Skie sniffled, "Hey, Moss-Head, can I have a bowl of cereal?"

"No, you can't have a bowl of cereal." Nami said, pulling Skie away from Zoro before he 'accidentally' tossed her across the room.

"Who are you? Show yourself, coward!" Santa shouted.

"Coward? ME?!" there was a loud explosion in the corner of the room where a large fiber optic light display was, and there, in the flickering rubble, stood none other than Buggy the Clown, Arlong, Don Krieg, and Kuro.

"We're making a glorified cameo!" Buggy cheered. (Got that from Yugioh Abridged x3)

"And this time, we won't let any of you survive!" Arlong laughed.

"I'M THE GREATEST!" Don Krieg yelled.

"He sounds like Don Krieg from my video game," Skie said, pointing at Krieg, "I don't like him, it's the 4Kids version. Make him go away, Sanji!" she whined, then suddenly gasped.

"What?" they looked at her.

"Look at the pretty lights!" she said.

Zoro's arm twitched as he resisted to smack her in the back of the head and turned his attention back to Buggy.

"So you wanted to attack us, right?" Nami asked them.

"Yes." Kuro said.

"So you kidnap a bunch of elves from Santa's Workshop." Nami raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"This was all a part of my ingenious plan!" Kuro pointed a claw at her, "Do NOT mock the plan!" Kuro hissed.

"But mocking is fun! Isn't it Zoro? Haha, mocking _you_ is fun!" Skie giggled.

"ONE more word, Skie, and I'm gonna tape you to the ceiling!" Zoro barked, drawing his swords.

"Elves!" Santa raised an arm.

"HUP!" the elves all grouched down low, strapping their helmets down.

"ATTACK!" Santa pointed at the four pirates, and they all charged, swords, legs, staffs, and elves flying in every direction.

Skie stood in the back of the room staring at a fiber optic light that changed colors every two seconds

The battle raged on viciously, Skie not moving from where she was, until she heard Santa shout. She turned and saw Santa with five of Kuro's claws at his neck.

"NOBODY move or the fat oaf gets it!" Kuro growled.

Everyone grew still.

Arlong laughed, "All we want is Luffy, and the rest of the Straw Hat crew."

"We'll let you fools live if you hand them over and don't ally with them any longer." Buggy offered, grinning.

"Never!" Santa said dramatically.

"NEVER!" the elves all echoed.

Kuro shrugged, "You're choice. I've personally always wanted to stab Santa." He paused, "I got too much coal as a kid." He raised his claws to slash Santa up like Freddy Kruger, when the whole room shook violently as another explosion boomed next to the small hole where Buggy and Gang came in.

There was a blur, and then, soaring at Kuro, was a very angry looking Mrs. Clause with a rolling pin. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY HUSBAAAAND!" and the rolling pin connected with his forehead, which sent Kuro flying.

Nine reindeer charged in then. They had metal armor on that seemed to be coated with glitter. Luffy was riding one of them, laughing loudly. Usopp was riding another, clinging to its neck for dear life. Tasha rode on the one that everyone could recognize through the helmet because of the bright red glowing nose.

"Charge, Rudolph!" Tasha laughed.

"Aye Aye!" Rudolph grinned, lowered his head, and charged at Buggy.

Buggy laughed, "Hah! Chop Chop-"

"DUCK!" Skie hurled a wad of Christmas lights at Buggy, and it collided with the back of his head. Buggy, not able to finish his attack, ended up getting trampled by Tasha and Rudolph. Skie then started laughing like a hyena.

"RAAAH!" Don Krieg swung his spear upwards, then down at Skie, who stared up at it unblinkingly.

"Skie!" Ralph jumped, and shoved her out of the way. They landed on the ground, Ralph sliding to a stop in a sitting position, Skie sliding to a stop on her face.

"Owie…" she groaned, "The heck's going on? My head hurts…" she grunted.

"Skie," Ralph waved a hand in front of her face, getting her attention. "Do you want some cereal?"

"Why? I'm not hungry for cereal right now."

"Are you still loopy off the drugged cookie Buggy gave you?"

"I don't think so. Wait, drugged cookie?"

"Yes, now move!" He got up and dodged an attack from Arlong.

"Puny human! I'll smear you into the floor!" Arlong grinned.

"I'm no human!" Ralph barked.

Arlong stared at him, "You're right! You're even more pathetically small than a puny human!" Arlong started laughing, "I could step on you like a bug!"

"Step on THIS! Taste the fury of my Indiana Jones hat!" Ralph jumped in the air, coming up to eye-level with the shark man, and kicked him in face.

"MY EYEZ!" Arlong fell backwards after being poked by Ralph's foot.

"Serves you right!" Skie got to her feet and dodged an attack from Buggy, but only barely, as the knife pinned her sweatshirt sleeve to the wooden floor. "I'm pinned." She said flatly, raising a hand.

"Skie! Rudolph, charge!" Tasha pointed at Buggy.

"Not this time, dear! Gettit? DEAR?! HAHAHA! Because he's a deer!" Buggy laughed hysterically at his own joke as Tasha and Rudolph charged at him. His grin darkened and he threw another round of knives at Skie, whom was unable to move.

Rudolph jumped in the air, and parried the knives with his antlers at record speed, halting in front of Skie with a grin on his face. "I'm a reindeer, Big-Nose." Rudolph said smugly, looking rather intimidating with several knives sticking from his antlers.

"Yeah, Big-Nose!" Tasha taunted, knowing very well what that would do.

Buggy's eyes bulged, "BIG NOSE?! ME?!"

"You must be getting tired of that." Skie stated.

"Oh yes." Buggy nodded, his mood flashing from enraged to conversational.

"Idiot…" Zoro heard Kuro mutter under his breath.

Buggy's mood flashed again and he attacked Rudolph and Tasha.

Skie Yanked the dagger out of the floor (after a couple dozen wiggles) and ran into the battle, leaping over a huge group of elves that were swarming over a bamboozled Don Krieg and landing next to Santa. "What do we do now?"

Santa shrugged, "I don't know, are we winning?"

Skie looked out over the battle.

Krieg was completely hidden in a mountain of furious elves, Zoro was pummeling Kuro, Luffy and Nami were beating the pulp out of Arlong, and Rudolph and Tasha were taking on Buggy with ease. The reindeer and Usopp were attacking whichever one of the four were closest. And Mrs. Clause was with Zoro, batting Kuro with her rolling pin whenever he tried to slash at the green-haired swordsman.

"I'd say we are." Skie nodded.

"Oh, good." Santa grinned cheerfully.

"Have you even fought at all?" Skie asked, looking up at him.

"Nope." Santa shook his head.

"Your wife's fighting, you know. Why aren't you?"

"I'm a saint."

"Oh. Right." Skie nodded knowingly. "I understand."

They stood in silence with mayhem and chaos going on around them, Skie picking at her nails, trying to dislodge an unwelcome piece of dirt under her thumb. Santa was humming 'Joy to the World' as Kuro flew through the air in front of him.

Buggy drew back from Tasha and Rudolph, "I think it's time we retreat!" he called.

Krieg's arm popped out of the elf pile, "I AGREE!" he shouted.

Kuro grunted and vanished, reappearing beside Buggy, "I hate to say it, but I do to."

"You humans are so weak! OOF!" Luffy punched Arlong in the gut and the shark man careened through the air, crashing into a bulging-eyed Buggy.

Kuro sighed and looked at the ceiling. "Idiots. I'm always surrounded by idiots."

Krieg's arm appeared from the elf pile again, "I'M NOT AN IDIOT!" he yelled.

"Get offa me!" Buggy shoved Arlong off of him and stood up, "This isn't the last time we'll meet, Straw Hats!"

"I don't doubt it." Skie muttered.

"You shut up!" Buggy pointed at her, "I really don't like you!"

"Likewise!" Skie barked back.

"Arlong, get Krieg and let's get outta here!" Buggy pointed at the elf mountain and ran like heck through the giant hole with a slight limp, Kuro sprinting behind him.

Arlong charged like a football player through the elves around Krieg, grabbed his ankle, and ran after Kuro and Buggy, ignoring Krieg's shouts of 'You can't drag me!' and 'I'm the greatest!' and 'The greatest don't get dragged!'.

"That was kind of really stupid." Skie said.

"I agree. They didn't even do anything but give you a drugged cookie."

"How'd you know about that?"

"Zoro told me." Tasha pointed at Zoro, who was poking at a candy cane colored lava lamp on a wall.

"That was a yummy drugged cookie, though." Skie grinned.

"I'll bet!" Tasha looked at Mrs. Clause, "Mrs. Clause, before I go, do you think I could have some more cookies?"

"Oh of course, dear! I'd be glad to make more!" Mrs. Clause smiled and walked out of the Christmas Light room. She reappeared a second later, "Oh, dear?" she called to Santa.

"Yes?"

"There's a remote by your foot. Push the button on it." Mrs. Clause smiled again and disappeared.

Santa looked down, and picked the little remote by his foot. There were two red buttons on it. One looked like it'd already book pressed. "Hmm…" He pushed the other one, making a little 'beep!' sound.

"WAAAAAAH!" everyone looked up to see at least fifty elves fall from the opening in the ceiling where Skie first came through.

Most of them landed on Zoro.

"Hey! It's the newbie elves!" Rudolph said.

"I'm gonna murder someone when I get out of here." came Zoro's muffled complaint.

"Don't say that during Christmas or I'll shove coal down your-"

"Santa! Don't talk like that!" Tasha said.

"I was going to say 'stocking'."

"Oh. Okay then." Tasha smiled, satisfied. "Now let's go get some cookies before I hafta wake up!"

**-s-u-c-h- -a- -p-o-i-n-t-l-e-s-s- -b-a-t-t-l-e-**

"Mrs. Clause I need your recipe before I leave," Tasha said, her mouth jammed with cookies.

Everyone was eating them. The elves, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Santa…Luffy, Skie, and Tasha were having a cookie-eating contest (Luffy was winning). Even Zoro had a cookie, but nobody knew that because he would only take a bite when no one was looking, then hide it behind his back.

"Sure, dear." Mrs. Clause smiled.

"Hey, what happened to that penguin plushie we saw earlier?" Skie asked.

"Him? Oh they turned him back into an elf." Tasha said.

"Where is he?"

"Right here," they all turned to see a little elf that looked like a five year old, unlike the other elves whom all looked at least ten.

"How'd they turn you back to normal?" Skie asked.

"Simple. They put me through the machine backwards."

"…But-" Nami started.

"Just roll with it," Skie suggested.

Nami hesitated, but shrugged, continuing to munch on her cookie.

"We will escort you to your ship soon, so you can go on your way and continue your journey. But first…" Santa paused, and everyone stared at him. "Presents!"

The room erupted with cheers as Santa walked out of the room to get the presents from the huge red bag on the back of his sleigh. He came back with each present perfectly balanced on top of each other.

"Showoff," Mrs. Clause laughed.

Santa grinned and set them down on the table, away from Skie, Luffy, Usopp, and Tasha, since the three of them were practically foaming at the mouth. He passed the presents around to each person.

They each opened their presents, some with more vigor than the rest. (Zoro stared at his for a minute or two before slowly starting to open it).

Nami gasped when she saw a gift card for a large clothing store that would be on the next island they landed on. "Thank you, Santa!" she said, hugging the tall elf.

"You're welcome, Nami." He said cheerfully.

Usopp got something to polish his goggles and a new rubber band for his slingshot. "Thank you! But…How did you know I needed a new rubber band?" he asked curiously.

Santa shrugged, "I'm Santa Clause."

Usopp nodded in awe.

Luffy's present had a plate with a large steak dinner in it. "WAAAA!" he shouted, overjoyed as he started eating it right there. "THANK…YOU!" he shouted between bites.

Sanji opened up his present to see a brand new set of frying pans, "Thank you, Santa," he said politely, smiling. He needed a new one. His old one had a dent in the bottom when Skie hit Zoro over the head with it (not that he ever complained about that).

Tasha opened up hers and saw both the recipe for Mrs. Clause's cookies, and a pretty silver bracelet with a Straw Hat charm, and a charm of a Christmas tree. "Wow!" she said, "I love it!"

"It's to remind you of your adventure here," Santa said, "Don't worry, it will be on your wrist when you wake up."

Tasha put it on, happy to see it fit perfectly, "I love it!" she squealed.

Santa grinned, proud of himself. So proud in fact, he ate another cookie.

Skie opened hers next, seeing a new hooded sweatshirt neatly folded inside.

"Yours ripped." Santa said, pointing at her sleeve.

"Eee! It's so soft!" she said, hugging it. She slipped her old hoodie off and put on her new one.

"Wait, what did your shirt say?" Nami asked, referring to the tank top she wore under the gray hoodie.

"She had a shirt under there?" Sanji raised an eyebrow.

"It said, 'Pirates Rock'." Skie said absent mindedly, rubbing the long sweatshirt sleeves together.

"I like….that shirt…" Luffy said, still eating.

"Well, Zoro. What'd you get?" Usopp asked. Zoro sure was taking his time opening his.

"Hmph." Zoro finally pulled off the wrapper, and saw a plain white card. He raised an eyebrow and picked the card up, reading the inside slowly. When he finished his face was beat red.

"Oooh!" Nami said, "What's it say? Look at his face! It's gotta be good!"

"Yeah, Zoro, what's it say?" Skie asked curiously.

Zoro flinched at her voice, nearly toppling off of his chair. "Nothing!" he snapped.

Tasha blinked, "Aw, come on Zoro, tell us!"

"Yeah!" Everyone chimed, save Santa and Mrs. Clause.

"No. Way. I'm not reading this out loud!" Zoro sounded horrified by the very prospect of that.

"Then I'll read it!" Skie said, reaching for it.

"No!" Zoro held it over his head.

"Gimme the card!" Skie said, standing up and jumping for it.

"Get back!" Zoro stood up, still holding it over his head.

"Give it!" Skie said, jumping up and snatching at it.

"Whoa-ho!" Zoro leaned back so Skie's arm missed the card by a millimeter. "You ain't reading it!" he yelled, and then stuffed the card into his mouth.

"Eeeww!" everyone stared at his puffed out, paper-filled cheeks.

Santa and Mrs. Clause burst out laughing. "Don't worry, you'll get used to the idea eventually!" Santa said, "And you'll like it."

"No I won't!" Zoro said, mouth full of paper still. He swallowed, gagging and sticking his tongue out from the weird taste, "I'll never, ever, ever, ever, ever, _ever_ love-" his voice caught in his throat, "…b-broccoli." He finished.

"That was the card?! Telling you you'd like broccoli?" Nami seemed very disappointed, "Santa, I hate to say, but that was lame."

"Broccoli?" Santa grinned slyly, ignoring Zoro's pleading look to play along, "I don't remember writing 'broccoli' anywhere in that card."

Mrs. Clause started laughing again.

"Whaaat?" Skie looked at Zoro, "What'd it say?!"

Zoro glared at her with more intensity than he usually did. "Nope. Not gonna say. I'm going back to the ship." He turned, his face still red, and stormed out the closest door to him.

"…Okaaay…" Usopp said slowly.

"Marimo's just being stupid." Sanji grunted.

Tasha yawned suddenly, "I think I'm going to wake up soon…" she said as her eyelids drooped.

"It was nice to see you again, Tasha!" Skie said, hugging her pal.

Tasha hugged her back, "Nice to see you again too! Thanks for letting be fight alongside the crew, guys."

"Don't mention it," Nami said.

Tasha yawned once more, and put the cookie recipe in her pocket. She made sure her bracelet was on her wrist, and then waved at everyone, "Bye!"

"Bye, Tasha!" everyone in the room said.

And with that, Tasha vanished.

"That always creeps me out." Usopp noted.

"Now…to the ship!" Luffy said, his dinner finished. "I'm full! And ready to take a nap!"

"Captain's orders. Let's go. Santa, could we please get that escort now?" Nami asked.

"Of course, of course. It was nice meeting you all!"

"Nice meeting you too, Santa!"

**-b-a-c-k- -o-n- -t-h-e- -s-h-i-p-**

"Well, I loved Christmas this year!" Nami said, looking at her new gift card.

"It was really fun!" Luffy said, grinning widely.

"Heck yesh it was." Skie said happily.

"Maybe we could come back and visit next year, huh?" Usopp asked.

"Maybe." Sanji shrugged, then headed into the kitchen to put his new frying pans away.

"Hey…" Usopp looked around. "Where's Zoro?"

**-?-**

Zoro stood in a huge tunnel made of ice that was identical to dozens of other tunnels in the area. He looked around, a vein popping on his forehead. "WHERE THE HELL AM I?!"

* * *

Haha. Christmas is over. 

A _VERY_ Merry late Christmas to everyone!

lol, it's closer to Halloween than Christmas...I'm almost a year late, ain't that sad? Yes. Yes it is. I'm getting back into my One Piece groove though! (Oh jeez, I just said groove...) So that may or may not mean really fast updates. I have school though, too. Which is annoying, because I'm actually trying to get really good grades now instead of just floating through. Darn.

And what'd Zoro's card say? Well, ask Santa. Or Kelly.

And there you go Tasha! For those of you who don't know, Tasha won an art contest I had, and the prize was an appearance in the story. Hers happened to be a really long appearance, no? Lucky xD I hope you liked it! And your pressents. Yep, I hoped you liked your very late Christmas pressents x3

And make sure to read other Skie in the OP world related stories of mine! Such as: The Island, Ask the Characters of Psycho on the Going Merry, Psycho in Hogwarts and Bookworm on the Going Merry, and there's a slight mention of Sanji in Skie in Psycho in Mushroom Kingdom. For a hint on what was in that card, read The Island (the last chapter, if you want to skip all the other stuff)

**ROOTBEER** AND **ROCK**! and roll.


	35. Summertime Fun!

**Chapter 35!**

This is the summer chapter! What happened between last Christmas and this Halloween! LOL I SKIPPED VALENTINES DAY!

* * *

Several months passed without any extravagant event. On Valentines day, however, Sanji made a huge pink cake for the gals, which Skie managed to eat in 3 and a half minutes (Zoro ended up getting splattered with frosting as Skie basically attacked it).

It was warm and sunny on the Going Merry. In other words, it was-

"SUMMER TIME!" roared Luffy from the crows nest. "IT'S SUMMER TIME!"

"We know, Luffy." Nami called from her usually place on the deck when it was nice outside. She looked up at her captain over the newspaper she was reading while sunbathing, "Now hush up, Luffy, you're making too much noise."

"Sanji! Sanji, you hafta make ice cream!" Luffy said, hopping down onto the deck.

"Not right now, Luffy." Sanji said absent-mindedly as he stared at Nami like he usually did, complete with hearts buzzing around his head like mini airplanes would buzz around King Kong.

Zoro was napping on deck by the stairs, snoring loudly, and unaware of someone watching him with narrowed, mischievous eyes.

Skie had just jumped up into the crows' nest, glad Luffy was no long occupying it. "Hurry up, Usopp!" she called as she watched Usopp clamber up the ropes and fall into the crow's nest, somehow balancing a bunch of water balloons in his arms and on top of his head.

"Thanks for helping," he grumbled.

"Hey, I carried one," she said, showing him the purple one she had in one hand.

"Yeah, okay." He said, still grouchy, "Now which ones are filled with what?"

"The purple ones have maple syrup in them, the gross kind without sugar that Sanji gets sometimes and no one ever uses, and the blue ones have water.

"And the green one?" Usopp asked, pointing at the large green balloon.

"You'll see. But be very careful not to break it, or I'll chuck you overboard, Usopp."

"That bad, huh?" He grinned.

Skie grinned back, "Oh heck yes." She nodded and leaned over the crows nest's edge, "What should we throw first? Or should we just barrage him with everything we've got?"

"We should throw the maple syrup first, then the water. Then it'll get slick. He might even trip a few times before reaching the mast." Usopp laughed, then stopped, staring at her, "How do we escape?!" he demanded.

"Well, we hide of course!"

"That's it?!" Usopp looked around, "I think I'm regretting agreeing to do this…"

"Aw come on! What's the worst Moss Head can do?"

"Kill me?"

"Pffft. Fine. Take it that way. Ninny."

"I am not a ninny!" Usopp barked, and he scooped up three purple balloons and hurled them with a mighty swing of his arm directly at Zoro…

…And Sanji happened to step right in front of him to get up the stairs as he did so.

The trio of purple balloons exploded when they hit him, dousing the poor cook in sticky maple syrup from head to toe. Sanji was frozen for a second, eye(s) wide, before looking up into the crow's nest. All he saw was a shocked looking Skie trying to keep from laughing (Usopp had ducked down).

"Skie…" Sanji put his other foot down (as he'd frozen in midstep) and shook his head, "Skie, I'm gonna have to do something about this."

"It wasn't me!" she said frantically.

Sanji stuck his tongue out to catch a drop of maple syrup that fell form the tip of his nose, "Oh really?"

"Nooooo!" Usopp whispered, shaking his head almost spazztically. If Skie got in trouble, Sanji would lecture. If Usopp got in trouble, it'd be a kick in the head and no food for a weak.

"Well, fine, I guess it was me…But it's not my fault! I was aiming for him! And you got in the way!" Skie pointed at Zoro.

Sanji looked at Zoro, then at his syrup-covered shirt, then at Skie, and back at his shirt. "…" he sighed, "Fine, fine…" he grumbled something about being too passive and headed for the bathroom.

Usopp sighed, "Thanks Skie." He said.

"You owe me one. Now hit Zoro this time." She pointed down.

Usopp saluted, "Aye, aye!" he picked up three more and hurled them with another mighty swing, and the trio of purple balloons hit home, right on Zoro's face.

Zoro didn't flinch. "…" he opened one eye and instantly looked up at the crow's nest.

"GETIM!"AFORE HE GETS UP!" Skie roared.

Zoro was then pummeled with the rest of the purple balloons, followed by all the blue, water-filled balloons.

Nami was giggling like crazy from behind her newspaper, peeking out over the edge.

Luffy was in the kitchen, taking advantage of Sanji's time in the bathroom, and looting the fridge.

Skie and Usopp burst out laughing, unable to stop.

"Wh-what about the green one?" wheezed Usopp.

"I'll…I'll do that right now," Skie said, hardly able to breathe from laughing so hard. She leaned over the edge of the crows nest again, green balloon in her hand, and looked at the stairs.

Usopp raised an eyebrow, wondering why Skie's eyes had suddenly gotten larger and why she hadn't thrown the balloon yet. "What's wrong, Skie?" he asked.

Skie opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Usopp tilted his head to one side. "You sick?" he felt something drop onto his head. "Can't be raining…" he said to himself, putting a hand up to brush whatever had fallen on him off. But it was sticky, and didn't come out. "Aww! What is this?! Ew!" He complained, wiping his hand off on his pants.

"Ahem."

They both froze, and slowly, very, very slowly, turned to see the owner of that all too familiar voice.

And there was Zoro, dripping in a slick mix of water and maple syrup, grinning at them like a hungry cat would grin at a bird (which had been pecking at him all day) with a broken wing. "Hey there." He said.

"AAAAAAAAAAAGH!" The two of them shrieked bloody murder and scrambled to get away from him. Skie just hopped out, the green balloon still in her arms, and Usopp jumped down, grabbing onto a rope the last second before running for cover.

"I don't think so! GET BACK HERE!" Zoro roared, leaping down after them. Usopp was closer. He'd get him first.

Skie leapt over the railing and into the kitchen. She saw Luffy still looting through the fridge, a giant leg of some animal in his mouth, "Hey, Skie." He said, mouth full. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Hiding from Zoro, shh!" Skie jumped up into the ceiling rafters just above the door, ignoring the cobweb she tucked herself into (she made sure there were no spiders there).

Zoro burst in not a second later, glaring at every inch of the kitchen. "Luffy, where is she?" he demanded.

"Where's who?" Luffy asked, gnawing on the meat.

"Skie! She came in here! I saw her!"

"I didn't." Luffy said.

"EVERYONE'S AGAINST ME!" he yelled. He then started scouring the kitchen, looking under the table, and even in the cupboards and under the sink.

While he was searching the fridge, Skie silently dropped to the ground and creeped outside.

"Did he get ya?" Nami asked.

Skie shook her head and tiptoed towards the other side of the ship.

"Skie-" Nami called.

"GOTCHA!"

Skie turned around to see a furious looking Zoro lunge at her.

"YAH!" she threw the green balloon at him with a panicked yell. It exploded on his face, splattering the deck in a mixture of red, yellow, and white.

Zoro stood, frozen. "What the hell is this?!" he shrieked after a minute's pause.

Luffy walked out of the kitchen and up to Zoro, poking him in the shoulder. "Ew, what is this stuff? It smells like bad mayo."

Skie was slowly backing up, "That's 'cuz it is. And old ketchup and mustard."

"I'm gonna count to ten, and then I'm gonna kill you." Zoro said slowly. He paused, then started. "Four…"

"You can't start at four!" Skie yelled.

"Seven…!"

"ACK!" She ran for her room, and slammed the door loudly, locking it, and shoving a door under the doorknob.

"Zoro, what the hell are you covered in?" she heard Sanji ask.

"I have no freaking idea." Zoro growled his answer. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go kill that little pest of an insect,"

"No time for that, Zoro! You hafta get cleaned up so we can go to the beach!" Luffy said.

"Beach?" Skie could just hear the sparkles that appeared in Nami's eyes.

"Nami-Swan in a bikini!" Sanji yelled.

"Where's Usopp?" Luffy asked.

"Nowhere." Zoro said, sounding far from innocent.

"Go get cleaned up, Zoro. Then clean up the deck." Nami ordered.

"Don't boss me around, woman!" Zoro barked, "And Skie should clean this up, not me!"

"But Skie's not here, is she?"

"I could go get her!"

"Too much trouble. Now go get all un-gross." Nami said, and her tone of voice was the one where no one could argue with her.

Zoro gave a wordless roar and Skie heard him storm off somewhere, his boots clomping loudly.

"It's safe to come out now, Skie." Nami called.

Skie opened the door and hopped out, "Sorry Sanji." She said, grinning at him sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it," he replied.

"Do we have to go to the beach?" Skie half-whined.

"What, you don't like the beach?" Nami looked at her with wide eyes.

"Nope. Never have." Skie stuck out her tongue. "I'll play in the sand though, but I hate the way sand feels. It's all…bleeeeh…" Skie shuddered.

"You don't like the beach." Sanji seemed dumbstruck by this. "A girl who doesn't like the beach…"

"Hey, where's Usopp?" Skie asked.

"I dunno. Zoro wouldn't say. Luffy, go look for him." Nami said, waving him off.

"'Kay!" Luffy ran off to search the ship.

**-w-o-w-**

Approximately an hour or two later, they were all on the beach of a deserted little island with only one or two trees on it, the rest all sand.

Luffy, Usopp, and Skie were making a huge sand castle away from the water (Luffy had found Usopp tied tightly to the bottom of his special seat at the head of the Going Merry with a gag in his mouth). Sanji and Nami were closer to the water, talking about who knows what, and Zoro was being his grouchy self, sitting under a palm tree glaring daggers at Skie.

"Sanji!" Skie called, "Could we have some smoothies, please?"

"Of course, Skie-Chan! I'll make Nami-Swan one too!" he said to himself as he rushed back to the ship, leaving a trial of red hearts.

"Bloody, pansy…" Zoro grumbled.

"You're just jealous cuz you won't get any smoothie." Skie said, sticking her tongue out at him.

Zoro raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything after that.

"Look at my masterpiece!" Usopp exclaimed pointing at his part of the sand castle, which looked like a miniature of a real castle, down to the last brick.

"Coool!" Skie said cheerfully, "Check out mine." She pointed at her classic mound of sand with four bucket-shaped towers.

"Oh yeah? LOOKIT THIS!" Luffy pointed to his. It was just a giant glop with holes pocked into it with a stick.

"…Creative." Skie commented.

"Here you go, Skie-Chan! It's strawberry banana!" Sanji purred, handing her the smoothie.

"Yay!" Skie said happily. A shadow fell over her and the smoothie was plucked out of her hand. "NEH?!" she looked up, seeing a smug looking Zoro.

"Mine now." He said, grinning.

Skie roared and chased after him, Zoro laughing and chugging the smoothie as they ran around the island.

"THAT WAS FOR SKIE, YOU GREEN-HAIRED FREAK!" Sanji roared.

"Do I get a smoothie?" Nami asked.

"Of course you do! Tangerine! Just how you like it!" he almost sang as he handed it to her, forgetting about Skie and Zoro for the moment.

"Thank you, Sanji," she said, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"I LOVE YOU NAMI-SWAAAN!" he said, hugging her like a teddy bear.

Nami nodded and sipped her smoothie.

"I like summer," Luffy said cheerfully as Zoro and Skie ran around the island for the twenty seventh time.

"Me too," Usopp grinned, "I just wish I had a smoothie…"

* * *

Zoro's such a jerk. Stealin' my smoothie...I'll get him for that!

I'll try and get the next chapter up in time for Halloween! That'd mean that Psycho on the Going Merry's over a year old! I THINK I NEED STORY-BIRTHDAY CAKE!

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! and roll...


	36. Rude Awakening

**Chapter 36**

A very, very, very, very, very, very, _very_ short chapter. Just a last little touch of summer pranking.

_Mwahaha_.

* * *

That night, after a little party at the beach where they all danced around a huge bonfire pretending to be cavemen, everyone was turning in for a good nights rest. 

Skie was up in the crow's nest, looking up at the stars. It was really neat in this world, you could see every single dot of light clearly. She was glad they weren't near any cities with lights, or only a fraction of the stars would shine through.

"Nice night, huh?" Nami said, sitting on the other side of the nest.

"Yep," Skie nodded. She leaned back against the mast, her arms crossed behind her head, as waiting for something.

**-w-h-a-t-?-**

The boys all fought their way through the trapdoor, all of them overly tired and wanting to get to their beds/hammocks first.

Zoro was the first to lay down on his couch, unaware of something hanging just above him on the ceiling…

The other boys got in their beds too, also unaware of what was above them…

**-u-h- -o-h-**

Skie waited a couple more minutes before taking up a small piece of rope in her hand.

"Ready?" she asked, tilting her head back to look at Nami.

Nami laughed and nodded, "Yep."

And Skie tugged the rope.

**-?-**

They were all asleep, dreaming of random things, like girls, food, and giant rolls of duct tape. Well, they would have stayed asleep, if it wasn't for the buckets of ice cold water above their heads emptying out on top of them.

"_**GAAAAAAAAAAH!**_"

**-l-o-l-**

Skie grinned a satisfied grin and held her hand out, Nami slapping her a high five.

"Girls so rock," Nami said.

"Oh yes we do."

* * *

And all you boys know it! BOOYA! Score infinity for the gals! 

But the guys are probobly gonna get revenge on them sooner or later XD

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**! and roll. You know, if ya felt this tiny snipit was review worhty xP


	37. This is Halloween

**Chapter 37**

Halloween chapter up! A day late, I know, but I was busy yesterday so you can understand right? I went as Sarah Sanderson from the movie Hocus Pocus! She's the dumb blonde one who wears the purple dress. Ia was Mary, and Chey was Winifred! I really do love candy, you know that?

* * *

"Halloween?"

"Halloween."

"Today?"

"Today."

"Really?"

"Really, really."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, not stop bothering me, Skie!" barked an irritated Roronoa Zoro who was attempting to get at least a little shut eye.

"But it's Halloween, Zoro!" Skie said in a high pitched voice, tugging on his arm.

"No kidding." he grumbled, squeezing his eyes tight, "Now go away."

"But I just found out! I've only gotta couple hours before midnight! …Fine then! I'm gonna go trick-or-treating without you then!" she huffed.

"Good! Don't bug me. I remember all too well that crap you and your insane little friends put me through last time." he grumbled.

Skie grinned, enjoying the memory that came back to her. "Oh that was fun…"

"Leave or you'll find yourself hanging from the crow's nest by your ankle again." Skie could tell by his tone of voice that he was serious.

She laughed and scampered off to go get Luffy and Usopp to join in the Halloween fun. She knew Nami and Sanji wouldn't join in this year, as they were out on a date. She grouchily hoped the restaurant (or wherever they were) got TPed. "Guys?" she called, circling the strangely silent ship. "Hello? Guess what! I just found out from Zoro it's Halloween! I can't believe I lost track of the date!" she laughed.

No excited laughter or jabbering.

No noise.

No reply at all.

She looked up at the sky. It was getting a bit dark. Trick-or-Treating was going to be over soon for some houses! Skie opened the men's room trap door and peeked down inside it, "Guys?" she called, "Luffy? Usopp? Helloooo?"

Nothing.

"Bloody heck, where are they?!" she yanked her head out of the trap door and stormed to her room. Recently, Nami had given her a bit of money to spend on whatever she wanted (she had to pay back interest of course), and taking on a random impulse, bought a couple things from a store that looked surprisingly similar to Hot Topic.

When Skie stepped out of her room, she looked like someone whom you would find in a crossover of a gothic anime, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Van Helsing. Leather shirt with sleeves that lengthened out at the ends immensely, her pants baggy and covered in belts, chains, and loops of various length, and a vest-type shirt that went over the long-sleeved shirt that was laced together instead of buttoned. It was all black.

"I'm kick butt this year! This'll make up for the fairy costume I was forced into last time…" she grumbled. Sure, she'd have liked to be a fairy when she was six, but not 15! "Anyone out yet?" she called.

Nope. No Luffy, and no Usopp. Sanji and Nami hadn't come back yet either. The only thing she could hear was Zoro snoring.

"Guess I'm going by myself this year." She sighed, grabbed a pillow case, and hopped off the ship.

"Skie? Is that you?" she heard Zoro call.

She slowed to a stop and looked back at the ship, wondering if Luffy or Usopp were trying to sneak up on him.

"AAAHGRK-" his scream was cut off suddenly.

Skie blinked, raising an eyebrow. Like she'd fall for something like that! HAH! He was just trying to scare her! "I'm not fallin' for it, Moss-Head!" she called. With a twirl on her heel, she continued down the dock and into the town, unaware that she was being watched.

--

The town was deserted. Absolutely no one in sight. She could have sworn she saw one of those desert plants roll across the road. "Hello?" she called, pillowcase hanging over her shoulder. "Trick-or-Treat?"

Cricket. Cricket.

"Oh come on, someone has to be giving out candy today!" she yelled.

"Braaains!"

Oh jeez.

She turned to see a shadowed figure standing in an open doorway. "Hey there. You got candy?"

"Braaaains…" the figure lurched out of the door, arms stretched forward. When he came into the light…

"Luffy?! The heck're you doin'?" she crossed her arms, "Have you been scaring little kids? Can I join in?"

"Braaaaaains!" Luffy grinned, his eyes completely white.

"Okay, the grin and eye thing are creepy, I'll give you that." she took a small step back when he didn't' slow down, the grin never leaving his face. "Shoo now. Scamper off. LOOK! MEAT!" she pointed down the road.

When Luffy didn't even glance that way Skie ran like heck.

"WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE ZOMBIES?! I _HATE_ ZOMBIES!" she yelled as Luffy lurched his way after her. She saw a dark alley up ahead and turned sharply, hoping to lose Luffy. Hey, zombies are stupid, remember?

She took half a step down the alley and collided with something, getting knocked back onto the ground, "Owch!" she rubbed the back of her head and glanced up to see what she ran into. "Sa-Sa-Saaaa…?!"

There stood Sanji, two bloody holes in his neck. He grinned at her, canines pointed. "Hello, Skie. Hungry?" his grin widened.

"GRAAAAAH!" she flopped herself over and clawed at the dirt, jumping off the ground at a half spring, half leap. "VAMPIRE!" she shrieked. Running and jumping like she'd never ran or jumped before, she ran into another building with an open door and slammed it shut behind her, panting. "M-maybe I lost 'em…" she said, her voice hopeful and her eyes squinted shut.

"Braaaaains…"

"Aw no…" she slowly opened her eyes, and saw Usopp grinning at her from a shadowy corner. "AAAAH!" she backed up to fast and hit the door. She fumbled with the knob, thrust it open, and crashed into Luffy.

"Brains!" he yelled.

"LEGGO!" she jumped straight up, forcing Luffy to let go of her. She landed on a rooftop, and spotted a trap door. She ran to it and threw it open, dropping down into the dark room below. "Phew!" she looked around the room, noticing the floor was covered in very thick fog that reached her waist.

The fog stirred near the square of light the open trap door let in, Skie's attention instantly fixating on it.

Suddenly, a figure stood up from the fog, sending little streams of it swirling around her thin frame. There stood Nami, eyes glowing a bright yellow, a blank expression on her face as she stared at Skie.

Words choked themselves in her throat, making Skie unable to speak.

Nami tilted her head to the side, stared at her for a second longer, then a wide smile spread across her face and she lifted one of her hands towards her, the nails long and gnarled like claws.

"Ack!" Skie jumped back up through the trap door, but Nami grabbed at her ankle and she ended up somersaulting on the roof a couple times, rubbing her head, "Owowowowowowww!" she scrambled to her feet and jumped from roof top to roof top frantically.

Must.

Not.

Get.

Eaten!

She stopped at a large chimney, pressing her back up against it, panting hard. "No no no no no! This is why I hate horror movies!" she wheezed.

A low, menacing growl tore across the air, making Skie freeze. The growl came from…

Right. Above. Her.

She looked up slowly, and saw Zoro's unnervingly close to hers, his mouth spread wide in a huge, pointy-toothed grin, a bushy pair of black dog ears flattened against his head.

Eyes wide, she just stared at him until some little part of her told her to at least move. What she did next she didn't even mean to. She jumped straight up, and head butted Zoro head-on. Zoro flew backwards as Skie soared upwards, swearing and covering the tender spot on her nose.

She heard Zoro howl angrily, sounding exactly like a wolf. She glanced over her shoulder and saw him jumping from roof top to top after her, gaining. She gasped and leapt down an alley, making a sharp right, trying to lose him.

"Brains!" Luffy and Usopp shouted hungrily as they blocked her way in the alley. She leapt over them and nearly crashed into Sanji again as he stepped gracefully out of her way, grabbing her wrist and spinning her around like a ballerina.

"Hungry yet?" he asked when he stopped her spinning, grinning at her.

She shook her head, both as an answer and to keep the alley from spinning. She yanked her wrist out of his hand and jumped backwards, twirling around in midair as she continued her frantic escape.

Skie slid to a stop in a different alley, making sure nothing and no one was around. She rested her hands on her knees, panting, her eyes squeezed shut. She opened them, and instead of seeing the ground like she expected, she saw a pair of black boots. Women's boots. She glanced up and saw Nami's deathly blank expression.

"Hiya." Skie squeaked.

Nami started walking towards her, her expression not changing.

Skie stumbled backwards until she bumped up against another wall.

"This is Halloween…" she said, her eyes glowing brighter.

Skie ducked to the side and sprinted passed her, glad to be in a wide, open road. She glanced back down the alley she just got out of, not seeing Nami anywhere.

"Braaains!" she saw Luffy and Usopp lurch clumsily out of alleys on either side of her. She looked around and saw Sanji standing on one end of the road. She didn't even hear him! She turned around again and saw Nami. Wow, they were quiet.

That just left-

The ground around her shook a little when Zoro landed on the earth behind her.

She gulped and a large shiver went down her spine, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. She turned around, staring up at the maniacal wolfish looking Zoro with a dumb expression on her face.

Zoro grinned and leaned closer suddenly, making her stumble backwards. "This is Halloween," he said, still advancing. "This Halloween."

"Halloween," Nami said.

Sanji grinned, "Halloween.

Luffy twitched his neck, "Halloween."

"Halloween!" Usopp yelled.

"Everybody scream," Nami lifted a clawed hand towards Skie.

"Everybody scream." Sanji lifted his chin into the air, grinning so his teeth glinted in the moonlight.

"Tender lumplings everywhere, life's no fun without a good scare." Zoro kept walking towards Skie, his grin never faltering, and Skie kept stumbling away from him until she bumped into Luffy, who put his hands on her shoulders.

"That's our job," he said.

Sanji appeared beside her, making her jump. "But we're not mean."

"In our town of Halloween." Usopp said, lurching his way beside Zoro.

And Nami burst out laughing.

Skie blinked. She sounded normal. The normal Nami. "N-Nami?" she called cautiously.

"I can't-" she gasped for air, bending over with her arms wrapped around her waist as she continued laughing, "I can't take it anymore! I have to laaaaugh!" she squealed.

Skie blinked again, confused. "What?"

Luffy and Usopp were the next to start laughing, both of them clutching their guts.

"You shoulda seen your face!" Usopp howled.

Then it was Sanji, who politely covered his mouth with his wrist as he started laughing, but his grin was easily visible.

Why were they laughing? Why were they laughing at her-

Oh.

Skie looked at Zoro, and he could just _see_ the irritated fury coming from her blank stare.

Oh that was it, he couldn't help it; He laughed. And he laughed hard. He actually started laughing so hard he stumbled over to a nearby building and put his hand on it to keep his balance.

"S-Sorry Skie, but the opportunity was just too perfect!" Nami gasped, "See, the town's deserted because everyone is at a Halloween party at the Mayor's mansion over that way into the woods," she pointed out into the forest. Skie didn't look away from Nami with her blank glare.

"We had to get you back somehow for all the stuff you've done! Halloween was perfect!" Luffy laughed. "You were pretty funny."

Zoro howled again, falling to his knees, his arm around his gut. Man, did his sides hurt.

Without a word, Skie twirled around on her heel and marched down the road, passing Sanji with her chin in the air. Oh, they thought they'd get the best of _her_ did they? HAH!

"Skie? Skie…?" Sanji called.

Usopp and Luffy kept laughing, Nami and Sanji watching her storm away.

Zoro really didn't notice her disappearance, as he was now trying to stop laughing because his sides felt like they were tearing.

--

They five crewmates reached the Going Merry, finding Skie calmly reading a book about hurricanes while leaning against the mast.

"Skie? You okay?" Nami asked.

"Hmm? Oh yeah. I'm fine." she said, smiling at them.

"Sorry if we scared you." Luffy said.

Usopp started laughing again, Sanji elbowing him.

"Look, I'll make you some ice cream to make up for it, okay?" Sanji grinned at her. He'd forgotten to take his fake vampire teeth out.

"Nah. Forget about me. I'm fine. You guys just get to bed. I'm at a really good part."

"But that books about hurricanes…" Nami raised an eyebrow.

"It's a good part." Skie assured.

"Okay…well, g'night. Go to bed guys." Nami waved an arm at the men as she headed to her room.

"Night Skie, you're hilarious when you're scared!" Usopp laughed, getting another elbow from Sanji.

"I do not regret that." Zoro said, and Skie resisted the urge to trip him as he passed her and gave her one of his smuggest grins.

"Oh yes. _Good_ _night_." Skie sang, turning a page in the book.

--

The next morning, the crew had scribbles all over their faces in permanent marker and found themselves super glued to their blankets.

* * *

Hope you liked it! This is what happens when you listen to 'This is Halloween' too many times in a row. And if you don't know what the song is, it's from the movie Nightmare Before Christmas. Look up 'This is Halloween' on YouTube and you'll hear it. It raawks.

**ROOTBEER** AND **ROCK**!  
**_HALLOWEEN STYLE!_**


	38. Snow!

**Chapter 38**

Holy crap, Christmas is coming up fast. Wowza!

* * *

The wind was starting to get very cold, and every now and then when a big gust of it would float over Merry some of the crewmembers on board would wrap themselves up in a nice warm blanket and just hunker down. They'd already seen a little bit of snow, which made Usopp, Luffy, and Skie really happy because soon there would be the prospect of snow angels and snow men.

Zoro, on the other hand, hated it because he knew a certain member of his crew would bury him in it next time she caught him taking a nap. This was something he dreaded.

Sanji was on a make-Skie-and-Nami-hot-cocoa spree. Skie and Nami didn't mind, of course, especially when Skie got extra marshmallows and whipped cream and Nami's had a slight tangerine flavor.

Skie was currently up in the crow's nest, wrapped up in about five heavy blankets as the cold wind circled around her and making her nose and ears red. She didn't mind so much, though, because she was watching a pod of what she was pretty sure were dolphins jump in and out of the choppy water. "Sanji!" she called.

"Yep?" he leaned out of the kitchen, "What is it?"

"Are dolphins normally ice blue?"

"A few species that thrive during the winter are. Why?"

"No reason."

"Do you see any? They taste really, really good when they're barbequed!"

"Nope! Don't see any!" She shook her head frantically. She liked dolphins!

"Aw okay." and he vanished back into the kitchen, unaware that while talking to Skie, Luffy had sneakily snuck in behind him and was now hiding in the ceiling rafters waiting for his moment to attack the fridge and run.

Skie watched the ice blue dolphins until they didn't jump out of the water again, and with a bored sigh, hopped out of the crow's nest and onto the deck. She barely missed landing on a half-asleep Zoro, who jolted awake at her landing.

"Jeez!" he barked, glaring up at her, "You're lucky you missed, Skie!"

Sticking her tongue out felt like a good response, so she did so. Zoro gave her one of his regular glares and leaned back against the crow's nest, mumbling about annoying girls and something about the many uses of duct tape.

She tromped off into her room and hopped down the stairs. It was getting a bit dark out anyway, and during wintertime days like this she liked to curl up and sleep.

Before her vision turned black and she floated off to dream about rescuing Indiana Jones and almost getting run over by Optimus Prime, she heard Luffy exclaim "It's snowing!"

- - -

She woke up with a start as Luffy and Usopp tumbled down the infirmary stairs. She was barely sitting up when Luffy charged over and shoved her out of her bed.

"Get up!" he shouted, "Look at all the snow!"

"Sheesh!" Skie pulled herself to her feet, rubbing a sore shoulder. "Okay, now shoo so I can get dressed!" She waved them out of her room and quickly changed out of her PJs and into her regular outfit of jeans and a gray hoodie. She wrapped a big blanket around herself and stepped out on deck, and sure enough, there was snow!

At least a foot of it (which Sanji and Zoro had been ordered by Nami to start shoveling it overboard). Skie grinned and hopped into a non-shoveled spot, shivering as the cold sank through her shoes. "Aiee!" she shrieked. "Luffy, it's cold!"

"Yeah, I know!" he laughed and chucked a snowball at the back of Zoro's head.

"OI!" Zoro barked, whirling on his captian. "Cut it out! Grab a shovel and help us! You too, you little freak." he glared at Skie.

"Freak?! I haven't even done anything yet!"

"_Yet_," Zoro grumbled, going back to shoveling.

Skie rolled up a snowball and lobbed it at Luffy, getting his back and making him shout in surprise. "Victory is mine!" she yelled, tossing another at Usopp, whom ducked dramatically.

The two teens apparently teamed up, rolling up snowballs and grinning at her.

"Oh fudge," she jumped up into the crow's nest, and yelped when she just landed in a big powdery puff of snow. She heard Zoro start laughing from below and let out a "Hmph!" She leaned over the edge of the nest, seeing that Luffy and Usopp had gone to making snowmen. She shoveled snow out of the nest, grinning as it continually 'happened' to land on Zoro or Sanji.

"Cut that out!" Zoro yelled.

"Skie, please stop that." Sanji held the shovel over his head to keep another pile of snow from hitting him.

Skie giggled and ducked back down in her little 'fort', making a little stockpile of snowballs. She waited for maybe ten minutes for someone to 'attack', but none such thing happened. Bored, she clambered down the rope ladder and landed lightly next to Luffy, "What's up?" she asked.

"Agh! You stepped on my snow angel!" Usopp wailed.

Skie looked down. Oops. "My bad."

"I'll show you 'my bad'!" Usopp shook his fists diligently in the air.

"SHH!" Skie put a finger to her lips and shushed them, "Quiet!" she said.

"Why?" Usopp huffed.

Skie grinned and made a couple quick snowballs, and held each in one hand behind her back as she strode up beside the hard-working Sanji and Zoro. "Hey there, guys." she said cheerfully.

"Hey, Skie-Chan." Sanji said.

"Murmf." Zoro managed to get out, trying to ignore her.

"Nice weather, no?"

They both gave her an odd look before returning to work. When they had their backs turned, she struck, stuffing a snowball down jackets and shirts of the two boys.

She jumped backwards, already halfway across the ship, as the two roared and shrieked and yelled and shouted.

"GRAAAAAAH!"

"IS COLD!"

"IT'S MELTING DOWN MY BACK!"

"SKIIIIIE!"

"Run away!" Skie bounded up the stairs to the kitchen, passing a hysterical Nami. She stepped inside the warm room and sat at the table, Luffy and Usopp bursting in a second after she took her seat.

"You really ticked 'em off Skie. Even Sanji looks angry!" Luffy laughed.

"I think they're coming to get you." Usopp said, peeking out the window.

Skie heard Zoro's muffled yell of "Where is she?! Where'd that little punk go?! I'll shove snow down her back and see how she likes it!"

"No you wont!" Sanji barked, "We just have to talk to her. You know, like a parental lecture."

Skie pretended to gag herself, making Usopp and Luffy laugh again.

"Parental lecture? _What_?! You know what, _you _can be the parent." Zoro barked.

"We're not gonna get anywhere with her if you just act the same way she does back!"

"It's worked pretty well so far!"

"Oh yeah, right now is the perfect example."

"Shut up, you mutated-eyebrow freak!"

"YOU shut up, you sissy carrier of three planks!"

"What'd you call my swords?!

"I called them planks and I called you a sissy!"

"Oh yeah?!

"YEAH!"

"RAWR!"

Skie made herself a cup of hot chocolate while she listened to the two of them fighting overlapped with Nami's hysterical laughter. Sheesh, it was easy to spark a fight between them. Even though that's really not what she was trying to do. "Want some cocoa?" she asked.

"Yes please!" Both boys sat down at the table, crossing their hands in front of them politely.

Skie whipped up a couple more cups of her hot cocoa and set them on the table in front of Usopp and Luffy. She sat down across from them and started chugging her own mug.

"I like your hot chocolate better than Sanji's." Luffy commented.

"Really? Thanks," Skie grinned.

"I like Sanji's. Yours is too sweet." Usopp shrugged, "But it's good anyway."

"I like sweet. What can I say?"

* * *

It's not Christmas yet, Skie can be annoying still.

OR will it backfire on her when Christmas does come?

**Rootbeer **and **ROCK**!


	39. That was UNEXPECTED

**Chapter 39**

Hey, I have one thing to say...

Zoro fangirls, please don't hate me xD

* * *

The sun was shining! The sky was blue! The air was chilly! And the deck was clear of snow (thanks to the hard work of Zoro and Sanji)! And best of all, Zoro was sound asleep on top of a large snow pile located on the frozen beach of an island they were docked at. And as you know, Skie, Luffy, and Usopp weren't far away, eeevil plots streaming through they're diabolical minds.

"Let's bury him." Luffy said.

"Let's cover his body in snow and make him look like a mermaid!" Skie suggested.

"Let's build a huge snow for around him, so he's trapped! And when he wakes up, he'll see us looking down at him…" Usopp leaned forward, creating suspense for his idea of pranking-Zoro-awesome, "And then we'll barrage him with snowballs!"

"I like that one, that's a good one." Skie nodded.

"Me too!"

"Shh! No yelling!" Usopp said, slapping a mittened hand over Luffy's mouth. "We don't want to wake him up, now do we?"

Luffy shook his head.

"Good. Now shh! Follow me!"

The trio tiptoed around Zoro, and slowly started building up a square fort around him. There were four layers in the ten foot walls, so that Zoro didn't just have to lean on one to knock it over. He'd actually have to try pretty hard to knock them down. They also added little towers on each corner, each of them occupying one.

They were filling their own towers with perfectly crafted snowballs when Nami and Sanji glided over, Sanji holding several bags of new winter clothes for all of them and a couple bags of groceries.

"Hey guys," Sanji said, "What are you doing?"

"SHH!" the three hissed, and Sanji raised an eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Nami whispered.

"Zoro's in there." Skie pointed at the fort.

Sanji grinned.

"And when he wakes up we're gonna pelt him with the snowballs," said Usopp, tossing a snowball into his tower.

Sanji's grin widened. "Can I join you?" he asked.

"Me too! Please?" Nami asked also, although she knew she didn't have to ask. If they said no she'd make them let her anyway.

"Sure! But you'll have to share that tower." Skie pointed at the fourth, unoccupied tower.

"Alright. Hold on, though. I need to put these away." Sanji shrugged, motioning towards the large amount of bags. "Oh, while I have these…Nami, will you grab their scarves, please?" Sanji asked.

Nami nodded and dug through one of the bags, tossing a brand new scarf to each of them.

"Thanks!" Luffy said, wrapping the wooly red scarf around his neck, "It's all snuggly."

"This is cool," Usopp's scarf was orange and green striped.

"Yay! Scarf!" Skie bundled up in hers. It was also striped, but in two shades of purple.

Nami tossed another scarf at Skie, this one being black. "That one's for Zoro. Toss it on his face or something when he wakes up." she grinned.

Skie gave her a thumbs up. "Roger!"

"Shh!" Usopp hissed again.

Skie put a hand over her mouth and grinned sheepishly.

Sanji jogged off to put the bags away. When he came back, everyone was sitting up in their towers, waiting almost patiently for their victim to awaken. Sanji clambered up next to Nami, amazed at the huge amount of snowballs she made in so little time.

"I have skill." she told him.

They waited nearly a half an hour for Zoro to wake up, giggling and whispering to each other from their high-up perches. Finally, getting a bit tired of waiting, Skie got the other's attention by waving am arm over her head, drawing everyone's eyes. She picked up a small handful of snow with her mittened hand and leaned out of her tower so her hand was directly over the sleeping Zoro's face.

Everyone grinned and leaned forward in anticipation, a snowball in each hand.

She let go of the snow, and it sprinkled down onto his face.

"Mmf…" he groaned, squinting his eyes shut tight. "What?" he sat up, wiping the snow off his forehead. "What is it?" he slowly opened his eyes, and stared blankly at the snow-brick wall in front of him. He stared at it for a couple seconds before glancing up, and saw a grinning Luffy and Usopp looking down at him. "Don't you dare-"

POFF!

The first snowball struck home on his forehead. "Agh! Stop that!"

POFF POFF!

The second and third struck his shoulder and chest. "Cut it out!"

POFF!

The fourth hit him in the back of the head. He whirled around and looked up and glared at Skie, who was grinning widely. "Hello," she said, "How was your nap?"

"I'm gonna kill you!"

POFF POFF POFF POFF!

He was barraged by four snowballs at once from Nami and Sanji, whom both burst out laughing.

"All right, that's it!" He stood up, but a huge wave of ten snowballs at once sent him back down, "GAH!"

POFF POFF!

POFF POFF POFF!

POFF!

Zoro grinned, "All right," he brushed the snow off of him as they paused, wanting to hear what their victim had to say. "You wanna fight? You got one!" He started scooping up snowballs and throwing them like a madman, getting direct hits on everyone. Head, chest, shoulder, the snowball they were about to throw at him.

"Augh!" Luffy ducked one, but his smug grin was covered with another snowball.

"Aaah!" Nami shrieked, laughing, even though Sanji was blocking every single snowball aimed at her.

Usopp, the poor guy, was just getting hit by every snowball thrown at him.

He whirled and threw one at Skie, getting her in the forehead.

"Gah! Who-whoa!" she toppled backwards first, then leaned forward too far and fell forward, right into the fort. "OOF!" And right smack dab on top of Zoro.

Everyone got silent, staring down at them. Everyone but Skie and Zoro were still grinning.

"Stupid, look what you made me do!" Skie said, pushing herself up on her arms. She opened her eyes and was literally face-to-face with the green-haired swordsman, their noses only inches apart. Skie hated the blush that was now spreading across her face.

Zoro's ears turned red, but not from the cold. "Uh…"

"Um…" _I need something to say! Think!_ she thought. "Here." Skie pushed herself up, and Zoro followed suit. "This is for you," she pulled the black scarf out of her sweatshirt pocket and held it out for him to take.

He stared at her with the blankest expression she'd ever gotten from him.

She cleared her throat, poking him with the scarf in her hand.

No response.

"Ugh, fine." she leaned forward and wrapped the scarf around his neck twice, and tied it up in a neat little knot at the side. "There-"

Zoro leaned forward and kissed her.

* * *

What have I gotten myself into? I'll probobly regret this later and blame it on impulse writing or something like that xD

'Tis the season!

**Rootbeer** and **Rawk**! Review if ya want...heh heh...


	40. Christmas is Tomorrow

**Chapter 40**

Holy wow.

* * *

Skie's eyes widened and her mind instantly snapped into the hope that maybe she was dreaming. Another part of her mind was in sort of a numb…what was the word…joy? Maybe, she wasn't sure. Her faced flushed a deeper red and she almost melted.

She didn't hear the "GAH!" uttered from Sanji, or even the loud 'thud' he made when he fell backwards out of the tower. Apparently, the blonde cook hadn't been expecting Zoro to _kiss_ the girl. Nami didn't even notice Sanji's sudden disappearance, leaning over the edge of her tower, hands crossed over her grinning mouth.

Luffy had an expression that told everyone around him he had the maturity of a five year old because he was sticking his tongue out in an 'eww, cooties' type of way.

Usopp just stared. He hadn't been expecting that either.

Zoro was the one who pulled away, his cheeks and ears a deep cherry red, "Uh…" he started, "Skie, I-"

Skie stood up, holding her scarf around her neck tightly. Without a word she turned and hopped out of the fort.

"Skie!" he called. Zoro heard her footsteps in the snow, crunching rapidly as she ran. He clambered up the side of the snow wall, flipping himself over the edge onto the snow, accidentally knocking his captain over the edge as well. He looked around, still trying to hear her footsteps.

"Follow 'em." Usopp said, pointing a mitten at the trail she left behind.

He almost smacked his forehead. Duh. Footprints.

He started running after her.

-

She was hiding, she hated to say. Her cheeks still flushed and her scarf wrapped up entirely around her mouth, just below her pink nose. She had a mug of hot chocolate in her hands as she sat in a cozy back corner of a little café.

So far the drink, nor the little marshmallows, hadn't been touched. She only stared at the frothy top, deep in thought.

There was no way that kiss could've been real. I mean, this was _Zoro_ we were talking about. The one she annoyed, bothered, and for lack of a better word (or not) _tortured_ ever since she'd met him. She sniffed, putting her head down on her crossed arms and pushed the hot chocolate away from her. For the first time she could really remember, she didn't want to drink any of it.

She was vaguely aware of someone sitting down in the other chair for the small two person table. She ignored the person, whoever it was, when they poked the top of her head gently.

"Hey…" that all-to-familiar voice called in an annoyingly gentle tone.

"Mmf."

The hand that was poking her head drew back. The person sat quietly, waiting for her to say something, or even just move. He waited, and waited, and waited some more. At least fifteen minutes passed by when he decided to poke her again.

"Mmmmf," she got out.

He put a hand on her arm and shook lightly, "Are you okay? You haven't touched your hot chocolate…" he said softly.

"'M fine."

He rested his chin on one hand and drummed his fingers on the table with the other. "Mm-hmm. You look fine. Downright spiffy, in fact."

"Shut your sarcastic mouth," she said, but it was obvious in her voice she was smiling.

They were both silent for a couple of awkward seconds.

Skie slowly rose her head up out of the safety of her crossed arms and rested her chin on them, "Why did you do that?" she asked.

Zoro blinked. Dammit, he didn't know how to answer that. Who would have thought such a simple question would throw him for a loop like this. "Uh…I…" he looked around, as if for an escape route that he knew he wouldn't take even if he found one. "I don't know."

Skie raised an eyebrow. "Don't know what?" she asked.

Zoro stared at her, "That I…you know…" he pointed at himself, then at her, then at himself again slowly. "_That_."

"I don't know what you're talking about." she said, standing up, "See ya,"

Zoro grabbed her arm as she walked by, stopping her. "You know what I'm talking about! The kiss!" his voice cracked when he said that…that…word.

"Kiss? What kiss? I don't remember any kiss." she said.

Zoro grinned smugly at the blush on her face. Like heck she didn't remember. "Don't play that amnesia stuff on me. You know."

"Know what?"

"Skie, don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Stop pretending you don't know!"

"Don't know what? You're being very confusing, Zoro."

"Stop pretending you forgot I kissed you!" he yelled. "Do I need to kiss you again to make you 'remember'?"

The café went quiet, everyone staring at them with curious eyes.

"I-" Skie's mouth stayed open, but no words came out. She was stumped. At a loss for words. Speechless. She didn't like that. She wasn't used to this. "There's…I need go get back to the ship." She pulled her arm out of his hand, "I need to…uh…" she was slowly backing towards the door, "Bake a batch of…pencils…" and with that she was gone.

Zoro stared after her, his hand still outstretched where she had yanked herself from his grip. Lowering his arm slowly, he closed his eyes.

"Stupid…that was a stupid to…" he growled, trailing off.

-

Skie was back on the ship, shuffling around for wrapping paper. Christmas was tomorrow, after all. And she didn't need anyone barging in to see their present too early. She finished wrapping them up and took a step back, proudly looking at the messily-wrapped packages as if they were a work of art. There were four of them. She'd never gotten _his_ present…

She looked around and got the small wad of extra bellis Nami had let her borrow. One more present. Just one more. Maybe she'd as Nami to give it to him. Then she wouldn't have to face him-

What? Was she scared of him now? Heck no! This was Zoro! The guy who got his hair painted pink by her! The guy she covered in maple syrup and other such yummy food things. The guy she-

There was a knock on her door.

"Hey, you in there?" Zoro called.

Oh shnap.

"Nope! Not here!" she yelled. She heard him fiddle with the doorknob and she rolled herself under her bed. She was suddenly very glad she didn't make it, because the blankets hung lazily over the sides, blocking her from view. She held her breath when she heard him open the door and come in.

"I know where you are," Zoro said, sounding amused.

She remained silent.

"Skie, I can see your shoe."

"Nu-uh." she said.

Zoro smirked and walked down the stairs into the infirmary, stopping in front of her shoe. He shook his head and grasped her ankle, dragging her out from under the bed and holding her in midair. "Hey there."

"Hmph."

He dropped her onto her mattress and crossed his arms in front of himself. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't want things to get…awkward…between us." He looked up at her, their eyes meeting.

"Hmph."

"Skie, come on. I'm trying here."

"Hmph."

"Say that one more time and I'll make you regret it!" he threatened.

"Hm-_ph_." She emphasized.

"All right, that's it-"

"What do you want for Christmas?"

The sudden question made him freeze. "What?"

"Christmas is tomorrow. What do you want? And don't say you don't want anything or I'll just put another bucket of ice water over your hammock again."

He bit back a retort and thought for a moment. "I don't know. I don't usually get Christmas presents…I wouldn't know what to want."

"A scarf? No, you have one."

He subconsciously reached an arm up and fiddled with the black scarf he was still wearing, remembering her tying it around his neck. He didn't notice himself blush.

Skie did. He blushed, which caused her to blush. "Hmph."

Zoro narrowed his eyes at her, dropping the scarf's end, "Quit saying that."

"Fine then, I'll just go pick you out something stupid. Like a hat." She marched her way passed him. "Or maybe one of those frilly pink boa things. Or a-" she was halted again by Zoro pulling on her wrist. "What?" she almost snapped, flustered.

"Dinner."

"What?" she looked confused.

"For Christmas. From you, that is. Dinner?"

"Zorooo." Skie whined, "Don't ask me out on a date."

"Who said anything about a date?" he grinned. "I just said dinner." He paused, "Besides, if it was a date, it'd be a date _you'd_ be asking _me_ on. You asked me what I wanted. And well…that's what I want."

Skie's jaw dropped. "Nu-uh! You were supposed to say something like 'A pillow 'cuz you're always stealing mine'! Or 'something to keep you at least twenty feet away from me'! Something witty like that! What's with this dinner business! You're confusing me!" she pressed the palm of her hand on her forehead and grumbled something.

Zoro dropped her wrist and smiled at her. Just smiled. He didn't say anything else.

This annoyed Skie.

"Ugh! Fine!" she barked, giving in. "You pick the place, I'm just buying. Got that? We're there to fill you up, and that's _it_." She muttered.

Zoro grinned again, nodded once, and headed back upstairs. "See you then," he called.

When the door closed Skie dropped herself onto her bed, glaring daggers at the rafters of her ceiling and pretending they were Zoro. She yanked the pillow from under her head and placed it over her face. A second passed…

Her pillow-muffled stress-relieving scream could be heard echoing throughout most of the East Blue.

* * *

Dinner date on Christmas. Awww.

**Rootbeer** and **ROCK**


	41. Christmas Dinner at the Opal Dish

**Chapter 41**

MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS  
xD

At least it's not months late like last time -_sheepish grin_- heh heh...

Well, I hope you guys like it. Took me forever from all the editing I did.

* * *

"IT'S CHRISTMAAAS!" Luffy roared, literally shaking the ship. 

Skie grunted in surprise, still half asleep, and rolled out of bed. She thumped onto the floorboards and sat up groggily. "Neh?" she squinted her eyes around. It was still dark and Luffy was shouting about…what did he say? Christmas? Yeah, Christmas.

Wait.

It was Christmas.

"CHRISTMAS!" Skie shrieked. "YES!" She scrambled to her feet and threw her large blanket around her shoulders before jumping into her shoes and running up the stairs from her room. It had snowed a tiny bit, leaving the deck under a sparkling blanket of powder.

"It's Christmas, Usopp, wake up!"

"I'm up, I'm up!"

"Sanji! You too!"

"Mmf. Go away."

Skie giggled, the excited feeling every kid gets on this morning rushing through her. She jumped when Nami stepped out of kitchen, "Just said adios to Santa," she yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"He was here and didn't say hello?" Skie asked, trotting up the stairs.

"Well, no. But he did leave presents, you know." Nami grinned as Skie vanished in a puff of snow as she raced into the kitchen, where the brightly lit Christmas tree was kept.

Nami followed Skie in and started making hot chocolate. Luffy and Usopp rushed in next, kneeling down by the tree beside Skie and sorting out their presents. Sanji stumbled in a plain white night shirt and a pair of pajama pants Nami had bought him. The shirt half had been 'misplaced' and Luffy had cut out little shapes from it.

"Morning." He sauntered over to Nami and started helping her with the hot cocoa.

Santa got everyone the same thing, boots. Nice warm boots. Luffy ignored his completely, already bored with it.

"Ah! Thank you Nami!" Luffy called, holding up a big bag of beef jerky.

"How did I know he'd like that?" Nami laughed and rolled her eyes.

From Nami, Skie got some new outfits (one of which she'd told herself silently she wouldn't wear because it was a dress). The other clothes were a shirt and pair of jeans she got she loved. The shirt was sky blue and had a couple of white clouds sewn on the top, and a grassy field sewn on the bottom. Colorful flowers and trees dotted it. It reminded her of Wonderland. Usopp got a special wood-strengthening polish for his slingshot. "It'll make it last longer," Nami told him. Sanji got a brand new set of very good quality knives that could cut through just about anything like butter. Sanji then started crying his thanks all over Nami's shoulder.

Skie made cookies for everyone. Last Christmas, before Tasha had left, Skie had copied down Mrs. Clause's cookie recipe. Everyone got a little plate wrapped up in bright red and silver wrapping paper. They were all gone in about ten minutes.

Luffy gave everyone drawings he made. Skie got one that might have been a picture of a seagull (Luffy told her it was a lollipop, though). Usopp got a picture of a panda standing on two legs (AKA, Pandaman). Sanji got a scribbly drawing of Nami (he would have yelled at Luffy and told him Nami's hips weren't that big, but it was Christmas). And Nami got a picture of a pile of money, go figure.

Usopp gave everyone drawings also, but much more…artistic than Luffy's. He drew a large rolled up picture for both Sanji and Nami. When they unrolled it, it was a very well drawn portrait of them in wedding clothes. Nami squealed and said she loved the color of her dress. Sanji giggled and blushed, rushing off to get a tissue for his bleeding nose. Luffy got a simple picture of a table full of food. Luffy ruined half the drawing by drooling on it. Skie's drawing gave her a sudden urge to hug Usopp. It was just a picture of herself and the crew, grinning out at her with happy faces. "Daaw, you're gonna make me cryyy," Skie sniffled.

"For Christmas for you guys, I'll cook up anything each of you want." Sanji said. Usopp said he was just being cheap and almost got his Christmas present taken back. "Except," Sanji started, grinning at Nami, "I'm taking you out to dinner," he kissed Nami on the hand in a very suave fashion.

'Dinner.'

The phrase rang through Skie's head in a voice that took her a second to recognize. She'd forgotten all about Zo-

"Dinner? Really?" Everyone looked at the door to see a dark pajama-clad Zoro leaning against the door. "I'm getting taken out to dinner myself, too. Imagine that."

Sanji scoffed. "You're supposed to pay for dinner you twi-wait, _what_? _You_?"

"Someone's taking you to dinner?" Nami asked, eyes flicking only momentarily to Skie before they were back on the green haired man. "Who?"

Zoro's grin widened and he looked down at the madly blushing Skie. She raised her hand just a smidgen, "I am," she said, so quiet they almost couldn't hear her.

Nami smiled. "I knew it."

"WHAT?" Sanji's jaw almost hit the floor. "WHAT-WHAT?!"

"You're going on a date with Zoro?" Usopp asked, looking startled.

"Eeeew!" Luffy stuck his tongue out and shook his head.

"It's not a date!" Skie said, "I'm just buying him food! No date! No!" she waved her arms in front of her. "Nu-uh!"

"We never said 'date', we just said 'dinner'." Zoro looked rather smug. This annoyed Skie yet again.

"What's with all this 'we' stuff? _You _said dinner! I just asked what you wanted for Christmas! You coulda said a football, or somethin'…"

"But I wanted dinner." he shrugged, smug grin still on his face.

"I know!"

"Aw, listen to them argue! Isn't it cute?" Nami giggled.

Sanji just blubbered.

"We'll want to head out soon before the place I wanna go to is booked. Christmas day is busy for things like that." Zoro said, looking at Skie.

"Hmph." Skie said, standing up with her arms full of presents, "Fine, I'll go get dressed." she said.

Zoro got out of the way from the door and held it open for her, and as she passed he whispered, "Wear that dress Nami bought you."

Skie froze and gawked at him. Then she turned her head and gawked a bit more at Nami. Had they both been plotting against her with sort of evil last minute teamwork? Was this all planned? She shook her head after a couple seconds of continuous gawking at an innocent looking Nami and stalked out the door to her room, tromping and kicking in the snow.

"You-you…" Sanji shook his head, "You're taking her out to dinner?"

"No, you pansy," Zoro said, "She's taking _me _out to dinner."

"You blackmailed her into this didn't you?" Sanji growled.

"Nope," Zoro once again looked smug, "She asked what I wanted for Christmas and I told her."

"Leave him alone, Sanji." Nami shushed.

"But-but-but-"

"You heard her, Pansy-Boy." Zoro said.

"Watch it, Moss-Head." Nami said, her back turned to all of them as she finished off the hot chocolate with whipped cream.

"Don't you start calling me that too!"

-

She was holding out the dress in front of her at arms length like it might burn her if it got any closer. Well…she had to admit, it was pretty. It was a glossy silver, but in the right light shone midnight blue. It would have reached just passed her knees. The top reminded her of a tank-top with the thick straps.

She narrowed her eyes. Fine. She'd wear it. But she'd wear it _her _way.

-

Zoro was waiting outside her door, arms crossed lazily behind his head and both eyes closed as he dozed off. He was in nice clothes. At least, more classy than what he would normally wear (and he would have gone dressed like he was too, but Nami forced him to wear what she gave him). A clean white shirt, open button up black jacket, and black pants. He was wearing the black winter boots from Santa.

Skie emerged from her room, smacking the back of it on him. She was wearing the dress all right. With the jeans Nami bought her under it, along with the dark blue winter boots from Santa. She also wearing an open black jacket. She looked at the door curiously. Why hadn't it opened all the way? She pushed on it, freezing when she heard a low "Oww," from the other side. She whipped the door open.

"Sorry!" she said, "Sorry, I didn't know you were behind the door."

Zoro rubbed his forehead, "It's fine." he looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "I don't think you understand the concept of a dress."

"It's winter! …Pervert." Skie huffed, putting her hands on her hips.

"Am not. It's just that the place you're taking me is pretty…" he shrugged, "I don't know what to call it."

"Classy?" Skie suggested.

"Yeah. That." Zoro nodded.

"Zoro, I don't have enough bellis for a 'classy' restaurant." Skie sighed.

"Check your jeans pocket." Zoro said.

Skie raised an eyebrow, but did so, and came out with a handful of bills. "How much is that gonna cost you from Nami?" Skie laughed.

"Enough," Zoro said, smiling.

Skie looked up at him. "Hmph."

"You really need to stop doing that."

-

The restaurant was called 'Opal Dish' and it reminded Skie more of a hotel than a restaurant. It was tall and elegant looking. She ignored the odd, scornful looks she got for her outfit when they walked in, but Zoro glared them down, telling them with his eyes to mind their own business.

They got a little two person table near the center of the huge open room. The ceiling was all glass panes, and the midday clouds were letting snow drift down to the earth. It looked beautiful. Especially with the many Christmas lights dotting the ceiling and walls.

Skie was staring up at the ceiling, "This place is really, really cool." she looked back at him to see he had been looking right back at her. She blushed, "What are you getting to eat?" she asked, tone flattening.

"Steak. And maybe a couple other things." he said simply. "And a baked potato."

"They have baked potatoes?" she looked through her menu excitedly. Oh my gosh, the did! She loved baked potatoes! "Ooh!"

Zoro shook his head, laughing, and flipped through the drinks menu. "What are you getting to drink?"

"I don't drink, Zoro." Skie rolled her eyes.

"I know that. Who said anything about alcohol?" he said almost reluctantly. Bloody hell, he needed a drink to calm his nerves. "They have root beer." he said.

"Really?!" she loved root beer too! Yes! She continued flipping through the menu, only stopping when the suave looking waiter came up to their table.

"Are you ready to order your cuisine?" he said.

"Yep," Zoro said, "I'll have that, but instead of wheat bread, just plain white, and I'll have that, that, this without the onions, and that, but with extra pickles. Are writing this down?" Zoro looked up at the waiter.

The fashionable waiter blinked, then nodded, scribbling several things down on a little notepad. "And you, miss?"

"The barbecue ribs, honey glazed ham, a banana milkshake, a big glass of root beer wit no ice, and a baked potato."

"Quite the…appetites you two have." the waiter commented almost snobbily.

"Uh-huh." Zoro leveled the waiter with a look that quieted his attitude. "I'll also want this." he pointed at something else on the menu, "To split with her,"

"Of course." And he scampered off.

"I'm not splitting anything with you! You've got cooties!"

"Skie, you've already got my cooties." Zoro said, grinning. His comment made himself blush, but he ignored that and laughed when Skie turned beat red.

"That was your fault you hormonal…_it_!" she huffed, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

Zoro bowed, "It, at your service," he grinned.

Despite herself, Skie laughed.

-

"Look at him! Just look at him! It makes me sick!" Sanji growled. He, Luffy, and Usopp were pressed up against one of the glass ceiling panes. Only their faces and hands were visible, the rest of them hidden by a thick brick wall.

"What are we here for again?" Luffy asked.

"Spying on Zoro and Skie." Usopp informed him. "Because Sanji is paranoid."

Sanji ignored him. "What are we going to do? We can't hear anything they're saying!"

"We could dress up as waiters and sneak in." Luffy suggested.

"That's stupid." Sanji growled. Then stopped, thinking. "Actually…that's brilliant!"

"Really?" Luffy and Usopp asked at the same time.

-

"So then I told her, 'yes of course that dress makes you look fat!'!" an Opal Dish waiter told two of his friends out back for their break. The other waiters laughed.

"You're girlfriend was an idiot."

"Yeah, she was." the waiter agreed, laughing. He stopped laughing when someone tapped the back of his shoulder. He turned, seeing a blonde in a suit with only one eye showing. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm glad you're not with that girl anymore." Sanji said, and with one kick, he sent the man flying into his other co-workers, all of them struck unconscious. "You probably didn't deserve her."

"Sanji! What was that for?!" Usopp whispered, as to not get any attention from the slightly cracked open back door to the restaurant.

He shrugged, grinning, "We need uniforms to get in."

"Right." Luffy nodded.

"But did you have to do that?" Usopp pointed at the three unconscious young men.

Sanji nodded. "Yep. There was no way around it."

-

Their food came in, having to be carried by three waiters to their table. "Thanks," Skie said, eyeing the ribs. Zoro just started eating, not even glancing at the waiters, whom left with a huff and scurried off with an air of importance.

They ate in silence for a while, Skie eating much faster than Zoro was. She had devoured the ham, the banana smoothie, and half the ribs, when another waiter came up to the table. He was thin and had slicked back blonde hair, but half of it hung over one eye, a bushy mustache and very thick eyebrows. Skie almost spurted root beer out of her nose when she saw him.

"Would zis fine young ladee like anything else to drink?" he asked with a heavy, and very fake, French accent.

"No, no. I'm fine." Skie said, smiling more from her inner laughing fit that from being polite. "Thank you."

"And what about you?" he said in a tone more to the menacing side when he glared at Zoro.

"I'm good." Zoro said, glaring right back.

"Az you weesh," he nodded and retreated backwards.

"Did you see his eyebrows?" Skie whispered to Zoro, grinning.

He laughed, "Yeah. What about that caterpillar living under his nose?"

Skie was taking a drink of root beer when he asked, and she choked, laughing and coughing at the same time. She covered her nose and mouth with a napkin and kept laughing and sputtering.

"Are you okay?" Zoro asked.

Skie nodded, still giggling. "You called it a caterpillar," she said.

Zoro smirked. "Yeah."

The waiter appeared by their table again.

"What about now?" he asked.

"We're _fine_." Zoro growled.

The waiter stormed off, muttering gibberish.

They started eating again, and didn't stop until it was all gone. Bare ribs scattered across Skie's side. Steak bones on Zoro's side.

"That was really good," Skie said, leaning back in her chair again, "I think I'm full."

"Well that's not good," Zoro said, "Because the dessert is coming."

"Dessert? Where?"

Zoro pointed at their waiter, the one without the caterpillar under his nose, and he stopped at their table. He lowered the tray so they could see what was on it, and Skie started drooling right there. It was a big piece of chocolate cake with two big scoops of vanilla ice cream on the sides. There were two chocolate bars sticking out of the cake, and the whole thing was covered in a crisscross pattern of chocolate sauce. The cake had a big dollop of whipped cream on the top.

"Oh my gosh." Skie said, jaw dropping.

"Looks good, huh?" Zoro smiled, "I knew you'd like it."

"Oh my gosh," Skie repeated.

The waiter handed them both a very long spoon, and sashayed off, back to his other tables.

Skie was the first to dig in, literally. She got a big spoonful of cake. She paused for a second as she raised it to her mouth, looking at it.

"What?" Zoro asked, stopping his own spoonful of cake in front of his mouth.

"My cake smells funny. Does yours?" she asked, looking up at him quizzically.

"Uh…" he put the cake up to his nose and smelled it, "No-"

Skie leaned across the table and pushed his arm so the cake smacked into his nose. "Hah! Gotcha!" Skie laughed.

Zoro blinked, momentarily shocked. "Oh yeah?" He scooped up a spoonful of ice cream and reached across the table, pushing it against her own nose. "Hah! Who wins now?"

"Gah! Cold!" Skie laughed.

-

"Look at zem! Zis must stop!" Sanji growled.

"You're still using that voice," Usopp whispered.

"Oh." Sanji cleared his throat. "Well it does need to stop. Here, gimme that tray, Luffy." Sanji snatched up a tray piled high with cake and glided back into the room.

"But, but that wasn't for-" Luffy sighed and gave up. Sanji wasn't listening.

"Oh boy." Usopp said, bracing himself.

-

Zoro was trying to dodge a spoon with whipped cream all over it when a waiter started approaching their table, unnoticed by the two warring teens.

"Whoops!" the waiter with the caterpillar mustache tripped and the tray he had been carrying crashed onto Zoro, splattering him with frosting, cake, the whole shebang. "My apologeez," the waiter said flatly. "I must 'av tripped over my shoez."

Zoro peeled the tray off him and handed it back to the waiter, who almost skipped away. Zoro could have sworn he heard him laugh. "Nami's gonna kill me," he sighed, shaking his head. He heard Skie snicker and looked up at her, eyebrow raised. She looked like she was trying so hard to hold it in, too. She had her mouth covered with her hands, her eyes were closed tight, and her shoulders were hunched as they shook with held back laughter. Without a word he scooped up some frosting in a large spoon by his plate and let it flick free.

The frosting glob got her right on the forehead. "Hey!" she said, one eye closing to keep the frosting out of it. She wiped it off her forehead with her hand and threw that back at Zoro. He moved out of the way with a duck and it struck another customer, who jumped nearly a foot in the air. "Sorry!" Skie called in a laughter-coated voice.

Zoro scooped up more of the frosting and tossed it at her. She dodged that one, the frosting landing on a huge roast turkey on the table behind her.

Their table erupted into a frosting and cake throwing festival. Dessert was flying every which way. No one was safe.

They were both covered with their ammo when several waiters rushed at them. "Please madam, sir, we ask you to leave!" one asked. "No, we beg you to leave!" another said frantically. "You are disturbing our other customers!" another roared. "Let us show you the door." another offered.

"We know where the door is," Zoro laughed, standing up. Skie stood up too, laughing so hard her face was red. They stumbled, still hysterical and trying to smear each other with frosting, out the door into the snow.

-

"DARGH!" Sanji roared, "They were laughing! Did you hear them?!"

"Yep," Usopp said, scratching at the inside of his ear. "I heard them."

"Why can't we go back to the ship now?" Luffy asked, looking tired as he looked up at the slowly darkening silver sky.

"Yeah, let's go back." Usopp nodded, "I wanna put that polish Nami gave me on my slingshot."

Sanji growled, ripping off his mustache, eyebrows. "Fine. BUT I WON'T GIVE UP! RAAAH, THAT HURT!" he clapped a hand over his face.

"Give up on what? Stop yelling!" Usopp yelled.

-

"I forgot to pay!" Skie gasped, still grinning, "Should we go back?"

"Nah, they were all snobs anyway," Zoro laughed. "Here, come this way." he grabbed her hand and pulled her off the snow flattened street and onto a little trail in the woods behind a couple buildings. There was only one pair of footprints going down this trail, and they looked a bit recent.

"Where are we going?" Skie asked, flicking pink and white frosting off of her free hand. She looked down at the hand Zoro was holding and blushed under the blue icing that was on her cheeks.

"Just come here," Zoro said, grinning back at her before turning back to the trail. He started to jog, looking up as the gray sky darkened even more. Nighttime was coming up fast.

Skie hopped to keep up with him, looking around at the trees that sped by and the huge snowflakes that drifted down at them. "I hope you don't get us lost, Zoro." Skie joked, grinning.

Zoro rolled his eyes.

She gasped when they entered the clearing the trial leaked into. It looked like it was supposed to be a garden when there was no snow on the ground. There was an antique looking streetlamp that blazed gently overhead. The light made each snowflake stand out. The other pair of footprints led over to the thing that drew Skie's attention the most. It was a small gazebo with a flat top in the center of the clearing, snow covered benches faced the gazebo in a wide circle. The pair of footprints had circled the gazebo, which was covered in sparkling white Christmas lights that hung down like icicles.

"That's really pretty, Zoro." she said, "Did…did you do that?" she asked, pointing at the gazebo, referring to the lights.

He smiled and nodded. "C'mon." he pulled her hand and led her up the stairs into the gazebo. She stumbled once over the unseen first step and he caught her, helping her back up. On the inside of the gazebo at its center was a wooden ladder that rose up through the top of it. She looked up curiously. It had been brushed off. She made the assumption that Zoro had done it and smiled.

"Climb up. It's really cool." Zoro said.

"Nu-uh, you first. I'm wearing a dress." she joked.

"Ah." Zoro nodded and climbed up the ladder. He reached the top and waved her up.

She jumped up to the top rung and grabbed on, climbing up the rest. Zoro held up a hand to help her up, but she climbed up the rest of the way herself. There was a little lookout on top of the gazebo. People probably brought up telescopes to look up at the stars. Zoro was busy kicking the snow off the top so neither of them slipped and fell off. Skie was looking at the town. She could see it glittering with all its Christmas lights over the trees. She loved the clock tower she could see off in the distance the most. She whistled, impressed.

Zoro stopped kicking snow and stood beside her, hands in his pockets. "Cool, huh?" he asked.

"Yep." she nodded. "Thanks for today. Oh, here." She handed him the big wad of bellis, "To help pay back Nami for that huge interest she charged you for it."

Zoro shook his head, "She didn't charge me anything. She said it was a Christmas present." he looked down at her and smiled, "Thanks though. You know, for the dinner you didn't pay for."

"Hmph."

"Skie!" Zoro laughed.

"The frosting's freezing to my nose," Skie grinned, chipping the blue frosting off and flicking it at him. "Nami's gonna kill me for ruining this dress."

"Bah." Zoro shrugged, "Nami'll kill me more. She only let me barrow this outfit." Zoro looked down at the jacket and chipped some orange frosting off. "But you know…" he started, but trailed off, losing his nerve.

"What?" Skie asked, looking at the sparkling town.

"I, uh…I _did _have a lot of fun tonight." he said slowly. "Yeah."

"Me too. Much more than I expected. I thought you'd be boring and grouchy."

"Hey!"

"Well you usually are." Skie said, grinning.

"Hmph." he replied.

"Copycat."

"Nu-uh!" he said, mimicking her voice. Skie punched his arm and he laughed again. "Merry Christmas, Skie."

Skie nodded and got on her tippy toes, and left a little kiss on his cheek.

His eyes widened and he whipped his head around to stare at her. "Did you just…?"

"Nope. Not me." Skie said.

He didn't look away. From the corner of her eye, Skie could see that. She turned and gave him a look. "What?"

After a moments pause, heleaned down, slowly. He got closer and closer before he was just a centimeter away, when she turned to look back at the town. His forehead clunked lightly against the side of her head, just above her ear. "Nnn?" he grunted, annoyed.

"C'mon. The others are probably waiting for us. Sanji probably has Christmas dinner all cooked up for us." she patted her stomach, "Even though I'm pretty full. What about you?"

Zoro blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. He nodded, "Yeah, I'm full." he exhaled through his nose and nodded. "All right, let's head back."

Skie nodded and hopped down from the top of the gazebo, landing with a little bounce. "C'mon, Moss-Head." Skie said, nodding her head in the trail's direction.

"Right." he nodded and jumped down, landing beside her. "Let's go."

Several times during their walk down the snowy trail he glanced down at her hand. "Um…is, isn't your hand cold?" he asked, his voice almost cracking.

"A little." she said. She put her hands in her pockets and Zoro almost stopped to start beating his head on a tree. "You okay? You sort of flinched."

"I'm fine. Fine. Zippadeedooda." he grumbled.

"Good. Hey, Moss-Head?"

"What?"

"I bet I can beat you to the Going Merry."

Zoro grinned. "Hah!"

-

"And they started laughing! It was ridiculous!" Sanji blared, arms flailing as he explained his plight to Nami, who looked more amused the more he talked.

"Tell her about the frosting fight." Luffy said, grinning.

"What? You didn't say anything about a frosting fight, Sanji. You know how much Zoro's jacket cost me?" Nami threw her arms in the air.

"I wanted you to see it for yourself. I'm sorry Nami-Swan!" Sanji said.

"Hey! They're back!" Usopp said, wiping the steam off the kitchen's door window and pressing his face to it. Skie landed on the deck and almost slipped but regained her balance. Zoro ran up onto the deck a second later.

"What are they doing?" Nami asked.

"Laughing. Skie's acting all smug. I think they were racing."

"How frostinged up are they?" Nami asked.

"They look like they went in a frosting factory and the frosting factory exploded." Usopp said.

"Oh, that Zoro…" Nami sighed.

"They're coming up the stairs to the kitchen," Usopp said, moving away from the door.

A laughing Skie and Zoro stumbled through the door.

"I won," Skie said.

"No, that didn't count. You used your devil fruit powers."

"Those count. I so beat you."

"Nu-uh!" Zoro said, mimicking her again.

"Zoro!" Nami said, "Look at you!"

Zoro flinched and looked at Nami, eyes wide. "Uh…I can explain…"

"Sanji already explained everything! You two had a frosting fight? At that restaurant? Gah!"

"How'd Sanji know about that?" Skie asked, looking at Sanji.

"Um…no reason."

"He was the waiter who dropped the cakes all over Zoro." Luffy said, scratching at his nose.

"Really?" Zoro glared at Sanji, who glared back. To Sanji's surprise Zoro grinned. Sanji's expression flattened and he blinked, confused.

"Yes, really?" Nami said, looking at Sanji. "I asked you to watch them, not sabotage their date!"

"S-sorry Nami-Swan…!" Sanji said.

"You got them to spy on us?" Skie looked at Nami, who looked just a tad guilty. She sighed, rubbing her forehead and yawned, the frozen frosting on her nose cracking. "I think I'm gonna head to bed." she said.

"But, but Skie! Christmas dinner! It's all…" he waved his arms over the table and its many foods.

"I know, but I'm full. My stomach's starting to hurt too. I don't feel too good." Skie said, "Sorry Sanji. Save me a plate, okay?" she grinned and went around the room, hugging everyone. "Merry Christmas guys! G'night!" she waved at them and exited the kitchen.

"So…" Usopp said slowly, looking at Zoro. "Didja kiss her?"

Zoro turned beat red and almost flew out of the kitchen, slamming the door.

"Is that a yes or a no?" Luffy asked.

"That'd be a no." Nami sighed.

"How do you know?" Luffy asked.

"I'm a girl. I know these things."

-

"Skie?" Zoro called, jumping over the railing instead of taking the stairs. Skie was just outside her door, about to head in. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"When you, uh…when you kissed me, was that because-"

"What about when you kissed me? Why'd you do that?" Skie asked, leaning against her door and crossing her arms in front of her. "Hmm?"

"Because…I don't know. I thought I answered this one."

"Then I don't know either." Skie shrugged and turned to open her door again.

"But-"

"They're spying on us." Skie said, giggling.

"I know, but-"

"Wanna give them something to talk about?" she asked, still facing her door.

"Do what now?"

Skie turned around to face him, got up on her tippy toes again, pulled down on Zoro's jacket and kissed him on the cheek. She let go and let herself down back to her normal, little height.

A stunned looking Zoro blinked, "Um." he said, rubbing the place where she kissed him. "Thank you…?" he didn't really know what else to say.

Skie giggled. "You're welcome." she said cheerfully. She was about to open her door and go into her room, but turned and looked at the window in the kitchen. She saw Nami duck down and Sanji take her place. Then Sanji ducked down and Luffy took his place. Then Usopp shoved Luffy out of the way and took his place. Then Usopp ducked down. The window was empty now. She laughed, "Merry Christmas, Zoro." she said, and closed the door behind her.

Zoro rubbed his cheek again. "Merry Christmas to you to, Skie."

* * *

BAH! It's long! -_faints_- 

I hope none of you drowned in all that fluffy crap x3

Merry Christmas! -_salutes and vanishes_-

**ROOTBEER** AND **ROCK**!


	42. Life can be both good and bad

**Chapter 42**

About time, no? Sorry for the wait. Exam week, you know? They can be troublesome.

Well, enjoy!

* * *

Awkward. 

That's something Zoro feared like nothing else the day after Christmas. He'd walk into the kitchen and see Skie. She'd look up and see him (and then she'd probably blush), and then turn away from him, pretending he wasn't there.

He gulped, standing outside the kitchen door, shoulders hunched against the chilly wind that blew around him. He could hear their voices inside; everyone was awake and eating. Taking a deep breathe, he opened the door quietly and stepped in very nonchalantly.

When nobody noticed him (apparently Luffy was telling a joke that was insanely funny), he moved closer to the table and took his seat…

And the only open seat was right next to Skie.

"Good morning," he said slowly, without looking at her as he dished waffles onto his plate.

"Morning, Zoro!" she chirped, smiling up at him.

He looked down at her, momentarily surprised his first theory of her reaction was wrong. He shook his head, snapping him out of his thoughts, and smiled back.

"And then, and then Buggy was all, 'WHAT'D YOU CALL MUH NOSE?!'" Luffy yelled in a raspy high pitched voice, throwing his arms in the air and putting a fake angry expression on his face.

Everyone around him burst into laughter.

"Guys," Nami said, shoulders still shaking from laughing. "Guys listen, a storm is coming later today." she said, gaining their attention. "If we don't reach the island we're heading for by then, we need to bring down the sails and hunker down, all right?"

"Yup," they all nodded.

Suddenly! There was duel loud crashes outside on the deck.

"Did you hear that?" Sanji asked, glancing towards the kitchen door.

"Ow! What the heck?" a voice called.

"Where are we? Oh wait…No way! Ia, we're here again!" another called.

"Ia? …Ah yeah!" Skie stood up, "Ia!"

"Who's Ia?" the crew asked, tilting their heads to the side curiously.

"You remember Bibs?" Skie asked.

"Yeah…" they all nodded.

"Shanks' daughter who's telekinetic?" Nami asked.

"Oh no." Zoro groaned.

"Ia is Bib's other nickname!" Skie ran for the door and peeked out the window. "Chey is here too!"

"Great. Two more weirdos on the ship." Zoro rubbed his temples. This was gonna be a loooong day.

Sanji glided passed Skie and out the door, "Welcome onto the ship, ladies! Nice to see you again." he smiled.

"Sanji!" Ia said happily. Using her powers, she floated up from the ground and landed on the railing, holding a colorful box in her hands. "Hey Skie! What's up?"

"Nothin' much…" she said, glancing at Chey. "Hello Chey!"

"Skie!" Chey scrambled up the stairs and halted in front of her friend, eyes wide, "We've got really bad news!" she said.

"Don't tell her now! We'll tell her later!" Ia said quickly, shaking her head frantically at Chey. "'Sides, I brought my Life game. Let's play that first." Ia held the Life game box in front of her and wiggled it. "You've played Life before, right?"

"Well…the Pirates of the Caribbean version, yeah." Skie said, nodding.

"I haven't! Can I play?" Sanji asked.

"No way! Girl's day!" Skie waved an arm and Sanji in a dismissive way, and hopped onto the railing next to Ia and spun around, "We're gonna spend what little time we have before they wake up playing Life! Ha ha!" Skie, Ia, and Chey all saluted at Sanji, Nami, Usopp, and Luffy, whom had appeared in the doorway. And quick as a flash, the door to Skie's room was slammed shut and silence settled on the deck.

"…What's Life?" Luffy asked.

"A game, I guess. I want to play!" Usopp said.

"Me too! Nami, let's tell Skie to let us play!" Luffy said.

"Oh, leave them be!" Nami huffed, "She hasn't seen Ia or Chey in a long time. Let them have some gal time alone, all right?"

"Hmmmph." came Zoro's reply from the kitchen.

"Shut up," Sanji called.

"You shut up!"

"Boys, boys…" Nami sighed, "…Quit being stupid."

-

"I've never played this version so you guys'll have to tell me how to play, okay?" Skie said.

The trio of friends, otherwise known (to themselves, at least) as the Three Amigops, were sitting on one of Skie's large blankets, the game board in the center of them. It looked like the layout of a large, cheerful town, the road serving as the path their game pieces had to travel across to win. "And I get the blue car," Skie said, taking her car and looking at it. It looked like a minivan. Not cool, no, but at least it was blue.

"I get the red one," Ia said.

"And I'll have green," Chey took her own piece and placed it on the board.

"The rules are simple; you start from here," Ia pointed at one end of the board, "And you try to get here," she pointed at another spot of the board, where several plastic houses stood, nice and tall. "The winner has the most money. I'll win, of course…" she pushed her hair back in a little flourish and laughed.

"PFFFT." Chey and Skie both huffed. "No."

"Anyway, you spin this instead of using stupid dice, and that shows how many squares you move. I'll go first!" Ia put her hand on a wheel that looked like a miniature from Wheel of Fortune and gave it a spin. "…One. Okay…" she moved her little red minivan one block. "'Buy books and supplies. Costs 5,000$'. Crap!" she shouted.

"Hee," Skie grinned.

"Me next," Chey spun. "Four. Okey dokey." she moved her green minivan. "I get a Life tile!"

"What's a Life tile?" Skie asked.

"Just these little tiles you get. Don't look on what's on the other side. They're worth money. You look at them and add them to your money at the end of the game." Ia explained.

"Ah."

"Your turn!"

"'Kay!" Skie spun. "Six! Ho ho!" moving her blue minivan, she grinned, "I just graduated! Gimme ten thousand dollars."

-

"Sanji! It's almost lunch time!" Luffy called.

"It's only eleven! You can wait!"

"But I'm hungryyyy! And boored!"

"Then find something interesting to do! Or, better yet…HELP ME SHOVEL!"

Luffy sped off, Usopp following close behind.

"FINE!" Sanji roared after them. He finished shoveling off the main deck and skipped back to the kitchen, whipping up some hot chocolates for Nami, Skie, Ia, and Chey. Nami didn't want hers, so he chugged it down before heading back out to offer the girls' theirs. He stopped outside the door and went to knock on it, but stopped, curiosity taking over as he listened to their conversation.

"I landed on the 'Get Married' square!" Ia said happily.

"Get married?" Sanji repeated, raising an eyebrow. What kind of game was this?

Zoro, whom had been dozing in the crows nest, looked down at the cook. "Who's getting married?" he asked.

"Ia, I think." Sanji said.

"I'm getting married to Cameron." Ia said. Sanji heard her give a dramatic sigh, and Chey and Skie laughed. "Shush! Just 'cuz neither of you have boyfriends…!" she huffed.

"Boys are stupid." Chey grinned.

Sanji smirked, and listened again. He felt a bit guilty about spying like this, but…

"Chey, you landed on the 'Get Married' square too! Go on, who's it gonna be?" Skie asked.

"Hmmm…" Chey was silent for a moment, "I'll marry Kenny from the swim team, because he's cool." The girls all laughed.

"Let's see if you land on it next," Ia said.

"Righto," Skie responded.

Sanji's ears perked up, listening closely.

"Got it! I'm getting married!"

"Skie's getting married." Sanji said.

"NEH?" Zoro flipped himself out of the crow's nest and landed with a surprisingly quiet '_thud_' on the deck beside the cook. "She's what?"

"Shh!" Sanji hissed.

Zoro pressed his ear to the crack of the door and listened, eyebrows furrowed.

"She's gonna marry Jack Sparrow, I bet." Ia laughed.

"No way! He's old enough to be my dad!" Skie laughed back. "I think I'll marry…" she stopped and started giggling.

"What?" Ia and Chey persisted. "Whaaat?"

"I'm gonna marry Zoro." Skie said.

Zoro's eyes widened and he blushed. He glanced at Sanji, whom was glaring daggers at him, his own ear pressed firmly against the door.

"Zoro? WHAT?" Ia shrieked. "ZORO? What about Sanji? What's wrong with Sanji? You used to be head over heals for Sanji!"

"Shut up! Someone'll hear you!" Skie shouted. They could hear something clatter inside. It was probably Skie slapping a hand over Ia's mouth, hushing her up.

Sanji's own eyes widened. She did? Really? Huh…"Didn't know that…" he said, mostly to himself. "Odd."

"Very odd. I mean, look at you." Zoro grinned at Sanji's glare.

"Yeah, we're kind of…well…I think we're dating…" Skie said quietly.

"WITH ZORO?" Ia shrieked.

Another little clatter.

"Awww! That's so cute!" Chey cooed. "I'm not jealous. It's okay." she said. Both Skie and Ia knew Chey was a hardcore Zoro fangirl.

Zoro grinned. "Jealous?"

"Hell no." Sanji hmphed.

"What are you two doing?" Nami asked, making the two boys jump.

"Nothing!" Sanji answered. "I mean…We're…uh…listening…"

"Move over," Nami said. Sanji instantly hopped aside and let Nami push her ear up against the door, a wide grin on her face. "Let me have one of those hot chocolates," she said, holding a hand out. Sanji, of course, instantly placed one of the still-steaming mugs in her hand.

"What about me?" Zoro demanded.

"Shut up!" Sanji and Nami hissed, listening through the door.

Zoro narrowed his eyes, but stayed quiet.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Usopp came around the corner from the other side of the ship. He realized what was happening and grinned, "Ooh! Let me listen!" he said, scurrying up to the door.

"Eh?" Luffy followed Usopp, "What're you guys doing?"

"Shh! We're spying!" Usopp hissed.

"Oh!" Luffy grinned, "I wanna spy!" he said.

And so they did.

"You're married to Zoro. That's so gross!" Ia giggled, "And your honeymoon that lasted forever because you had to skip two turns..."

"Shut up. You're just jealous." Skie huffed.

"Of him? Moss-Head? Eeww…!" Ia made a '_bleh_' sound.

"Nope. You're just jealous 'cuz he's a really good kisser!" Skie sounded smug.

"NO WAY!" Ia and Chey both yelled.

Zoro's entire face turned red.

"You kissed her?" Sanji hissed.

"You kissed her?" Nami gasped, smiling with sparkles in her eyes.

Usopp and Luffy held back their laughter at the look on Zoro's face.

"N-no! I haven't! …" he looked at Sanji, who's nostrils were flared, "…Yet." he grinned.

"I'm kidding, I haven't kissed him yet." Skie laughed.

"Oh, good. That image terrified me. It still terrifies me! Look what you've done!" Ia said.

"Your turn, Ia." Chey said.

"'Furnish a baby room, 5,000$'. I don't even have a baby!"

Skie and Chey both laughed at Ia's unusual predicament.

"My turn!" Chey chirped, "I get a baby boy! I'll name him…" Chey paused, "I'll name him Rori. Because it's cute." she said.

"Aww! Can I be Godmother?" Skie asked.

"Of course!"

"Damn! I wanted to be Godmother!" Ia whined.

"GAH! I get a furnished baby room too!" Skie laughed. "I don't have a kid yet,"

"Yet?" Ia and Chey asked, voices deviously curious.

"Yes. Yet. No kids yet."

"You said 'yet'…!" Chey giggled.

"Let's just say Zoro built it when he was drunk." Skie explained.

"Oi!" Zoro complained. The others shushed him.

"I just need a kid, and then we can put her in the baby room," Skie said.

"Meh. He'd probably be to lazy to-" Ia cut herself off.

There was a long, dead silence. Nami, Usopp, and Sanji's eyes flicked to Zoro, whose jaw was hanging open, his face a ridiculously dark shade of red. He flung himself from the door and landed in a heap by the mast. Luffy didn't get it.

"To what?" Skie asked. "TO WHAT?"

"Nothing!" Ia started laughing, Chey joining in.

"You guys are sick!" Skie huffed, but she too joined in the laughing.

"This is too much! Too much!" Sanji wailed, thrusting open the door. "I HAVE HOT CHOCOLATE!" he roared. "BUT PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOD, STOP PLAYING THIS GAME!"

The trio looked up at him.

"Have you been _spying_, Sanji?!" Skie yelled.

"…No?"

"Hey girls! Nice pick for the husband there, Skie." Nami appeared in the doorway and winked at her.

Skie blushed, "Who…who all have been listening?" she asked slowly.

As if on queue, Usopp and Luffy appeared in the doorway next to Nami. "Yo!" they both said, grins on their faces.

"I'm gonna so murder all of you!"

"And guess whaaaat!" Nami sang.

"What?" Skie barked.

"Zoro was listening too!"

"NO I WASN'T! I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING!" Zoro roared.

"Go away! Shoo!" Skie threw a pillow at the door. Sanji closed it, blocking the pillow. The crew fluttered back up to the door like moths to a light bulb, save Zoro, whom was still in a heap by the mast.

"They heard us! _They heard us! _Oh my gosh…" Skie sighed, "That was embarrassing…" she said.

"Wonder how Zoro'll act around you now," Ia laughed.

"You're mean," Chey shook her head.

Suddenly, the two of them yawned.

"You guys waking up now?" Skie asked, looking disappointed. Now she'd have to face…_the Crew_.

"Yeah, guess so…" Ia yawned again.

"Oh, Skie! The bad news!" Chey tugged on Ia's sleeve.

"Oh…yeah… It's about…um…" Ia looked nervously at Chey. "Well, do you know how much time has passed since you got into a coma?"

"Feels like a couple years, actually." Skie said. "…H-Has it been a couple years…?"

"No." Ia shook her head. "It's only been two months…but…you're brain-dead. You're on life-support…"

"Life-support…!" Skie's eyes widened, "I'm on life-support…?" she asked quietly.

Ia's eyes glistened and she looked away from Skie, staring at the pillow resting on the staircase that Skie had previously thrown. "And that's not the bad news." she said quietly.

Skie's blood ran cold. "Then what is?"

Ia closed her eyes, and vanished, leaving Chey, whom looked as if she was almost asleep herself.

"Chey?"

Chey leaned forward and hugged Skie tightly, and right before she vanished she managed to get out one sentence.

"They're taking you off life-support."

* * *

_Uh-oh..._

**Rootbeer** and **Rock**!


	43. Decision

**Chapter 42**

A somewhat of a not-late chapter for you guys.

* * *

_"They're taking you off life-support."_

The phase echoed through her head like a nightmare that stays with you behind your eyelids after you wake up. She didn't know how to react to this. Cry? Scream? Throw something? She just didn't know. So, she did what any other kid who was struck in a coma and stuck in another world who heard they were about to be taken off of the only thing keeping them alive in their original world would do:

She started singing.

The crew was frozen outside her door, eyes wide.

"What…" Nami breathed, leaning away from the door. When Ia and Chey had said 'bad news' she was expecting something like 'Your parents repainted your room pink'. But not this. Not _this_.

Zoro sat up, staring at his silent friends. "What?" he demanded. "What happened?" Something was wrong. Something was really wrong…"What?!" he yelled. Nami glanced at him silently, shaking her head. "Tell me!"

"They're taking Skie off of life-support." Usopp said quietly.

Zoro's throat closed and he made a sort of half cough half choking noise, his eyes swiveling to stare at the door.

Luffy blinked. He looked at Usopp nervously. He knew that couldn't be good, but… "What is life-support?" he asked.

"It means they're taking her off the only thing that's keeping her alive!" Sanji barked, teeth bared. "It means they're gonna kill her!"

"ON TOP OF SPAAA_GHEEETTIIII_! ALL COVERED IN _CHEEEESE_…!"

The crew jumped at Skie's roar.

"…" Their faces twisted in a variety of weirded-out of expressions.

"I LOST MY POOR _MEEEATBAAALL_…WHEN SOMEBODY _SNEEEZED_!"

"The hell?" Zoro coughed.

"What's she doing?" Usopp wondered.

"Well hell, if I know." Nami huffed, narrowing her eyes on the door.

"Freaking drama-sponge of a girl, isn't she? She completely ruined the mood." Sanji said, biting down on a cigarette and lighting it. He flicked the lighter closed and took a huge breathe, filling his lungs with the smoke.

"IT ROLLED OFF THE _TAAAA_BLLLLE! AND ONTO THE _FLOOOOOOR_…!"

"I swear, I'm gonna kill her before they do!" Nami fumed. "She's not supposed to start _singing _at a time like this! Especially a song like _that_!"

Luffy grinned, "I wanna sing too!"

"Don't you dare!" Nami growled.

"AND THEN MY POOR _MEEEEEATBAAAAL_…" Luffy joined in with Skie. "ROLLED RIGHT OUT THE _DOOOOOR_!"

"GUYS!" Skie threw the door open, making everyone jump at least a foot in the air. "GUESS. WHAT." She looked absolutely hysterical, eyes wide, grin spread across her face, and for some reason she had the Life game box lid on top of her head.

"Uh…" Nami blinked.

"What?" Sanji asked.

"I'm _doomed_." she said, wiggling her fingers at them. "DOOMED! AHAHAHAHA!"

"Aw Hell…" Zoro ground out.

"She's snapped." The rest of them finished for him.

"Doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, _doooom_…Ha. Haha. Ha." Skie's grin widened. "That is a funny word, it is."

They stared at her, eyes wide.

"Hey!" Sanji said, voice straining to be cheerful. "Let's get something to eat? Okay? Yes, something to eat. Let's go." Sanji, walking like his legs wouldn't bend, tromped towards the kitchen, Luffy scurrying after him.

Usopp nodded. "Food sounds good! Doesn't it Skie? Let's go get food." he grinned nervously and hurried towards the kitchen too.

Nami put a hesitant hand on Skie's shoulder. "Skie, c'mon. I bet some food'll make you feel better, huh?" she smiled. "It'll be okay, all right?"

Skie looked up at Nami, her grin fading. "…" she looked down at the floorboards silently. "Right." she mumbled. "I'll be right there."

Nami paused, then nodded and slowly walked for the kitchen. She stopped by the door, looking at the young girl and then glancing at Zoro, whom was staring up at Skie from where he was sitting. She sighed and let the kitchen door swing shut behind her.

Skie continued to stare at the wooden boards, her expression thoughtful, but her eyes blank.

Zoro slowly stood up. He was quite a bit taller than her. She didn't even come up to his shoulder. He reached a hand out to take the Life box lid off her head, but she shot her hands up and held it there tightly, crossing her arms tightly over it. He dropped his hand and put his hands in his pockets. "They're waiting for us."

Skie tightened her grip on the box, crushing the edges inward slightly. ""R gnna kill me." she mumbled.

"Huh?"

"They're gonna kill me. They're gonna pull the plug, or flip the switch, of whatever the hell you do, and that'll be it. Poof, I'm gone."

"We'll figure something out." Zoro muttered, glancing at the ocean to his left.

"…" she was silent.

"Skie?"

No response.

"…Skie…?"

Again, no response.

"Please don't be crying," he said.

"HAH!" Zoro jumped as she threw the box off her head, and it splashed somewhere out in the water. "Cry? Now? As if! If I'm gonna freakin' die I'm not gonna spend my time crying!" she grabbed his hand and yanked him towards the stairs. "Let's go eat food!"

"O-okay!" Zoro stammered.

Skie burst through the door, very dramatically, "Let's have ice cream! And cake! Don't forget the Jell-O. No lime Jell-O though, bleh." she dragged Zoro over to the table and sat down, Zoro sitting immediately down next to her.

They all looked at her.

"I'm fine." she said after none of them said anything.

They looked at her doubtfully.

"Sorry. I guess I went a little loopy for a sec, huh?" she grinned sheepishly.

"A _little_?" Usopp said. Zoro shot him a glare.

Skie laughed, "Yeah, well, if they're taking me off life-support, I'd rather spend the rest of my time having fun with you guys than crying in a corner before I go out like a light." she smiled.

Sanji's visible eye grew watery and he sniffled, "Awwwwww!" he wailed and fluttered around the table, picking Skie up in an arm-pinning, lung-crushing bear-hug. "Skie-Chaaaaaan!" he cried, waving her back and forth.

"Air…I needs…it…" she gasped.

"Oh, right." Sanji put her down for a second, seemed to think something over, then picked her up in another hug. "Skie-Chaaaan!"

"Will you stop that! She's not dead yet!" Zoro barked.

Sanji put Skie down again and zoomed to the counter, furiously whipping up everything Skie requested.

"Aw gee, that's comforting." Skie huffed.

"Sorry." Zoro smiled and Skie smiled back.

There was a flash of light, and the two turned to see Nami with a camera. The picture filed out of the contraption and she held it in front of her. "Aww, you two are so cuuute." she said.

"NAMI!" Zoro and Skie barked, leaning over the table at the same time to snatch the picture. But, of course, Nami was faster and held it just out of reach with a teasing smirk on her face. "Just to remember all this by." she said innocently.

Skie harrumphed and sat back in her chair, crossing her legs Indian-style on the bench.

"What kinda fun stuff do you want to do, Skie?" Usopp asked.

"Hmmm…Bungee jumping?"

"NO WAY." Usopp voice was a bit louder than he wanted it to be.

"I do that anyway." Luffy said.

"True…hmm…let's cause a huge food fight somewhere."

"…" Luffy eyed Sanji as he brought a huge plate with a mountain of mini cakes and placed them on the center of the table. "How about now…?" he whispered so only Skie could hear him as he watched Sanji head back to the counter.

A very large grin spread across her face.

"Oh jeez, what?" Zoro said, seeing that all-too-familiar expression. He'd been the victim of many plans that were plotted behind that face.

Skie waved a hand at him then turned back to Luffy, "We'll wait until Sanji's done, everyone's been sitting down and eating for a bit, then we'll strike," she whispered in his ear.

"Hee!" Luffy grinned and nodded.

"You two are making me nervous." Usopp said.

Luffy leaned across the table and whispered in his ear for a second. The trio of deviants giggled to themselves, eyeing their victims with sparkly eyes.

Nami and Zoro every so slightly edged away from them. Sanji was oblivious to whatever was going on, his back to them as he leaned over the counter.

Not five minutes later, all sorts of desserts were placed on the table in front of them. They all looked absolutely yummy. They were colorful, probably loaded with sugar. There were a ton of cupcakes, mostly blue and purple and green, but there was one orange one.

"Why's that one orange?" Skie asked, pointing at it.

"I felt like adding a bit more color." Sanji shrugged.

Skie blinked, then shrugged and reached for it.

"UM." Sanji coughed, clearing his throat loudly. "EAVE AT UPCAKE." he coughed out what sounded like words roughly. "OT OR OO." And then he ever so inconspicuously pointed at Zoro.

Skie had no clue what he was saying, but got the message anyway, and plopped the orange cupcake in front of Zoro. "Happy today, Moss-Head," she said, digging into her own dessert pile.

"Yup." Zoro looked down at the cute cake and picked the it up. Unaware of the eyes on him, he took a big bite out of it. He froze, eyes wide. His face turned red and his eyes watered. "GAAAH!" he shrieked, flames shooting from his mouth.

The rest of them burst out laughing as Zoro coughed and sputtered on the flaming cupcake.

"Nice one, Sanji!" Usopp laughed.

"That was nothing," Sanji laughed, arms wrapped around his gut.

"Ready?" Luffy whispered.

Usopp and Skie nodded.

"Sanji! That wasn't very nice!" Skie gasped, covering her mouth with one hand like she was offended. "Shame on you!" and from her hand she let a mini cake she'd dipped in ice cream fly, and it struck home, smacking Sanji on the forehead.

Zoro was now coughing, sputtering, and laughing.

"HAH!" the trio armed themselves, and Nami, Zoro, and Sanji were no longer safe from the dessert. Cake flew in one direction, completely coating the three other Straw Hat pirates.

It grew silent.

The three pirates now resembled blobs you'd see in some old horror movie. The blob that was Nami twitched.

"Uh-oh." Luffy's team gulped.

"Uh-oh's right you little punks," Nami growled dangerously. In a ship-shaking moment, all the frosting, ice cream, and other such desserty goodness flew off Nami and went flying in every direction. Luffy's team ducked and dodged as Sanji and Zoro 'exploded' too.

"Gentleman, prepare to fire!" Skie said.

"Oh, you wanna fight now, huh?" Nami shrieked. "OH we'll give you a fight! SANJI! FIRE!"

"FIRE!" Luffy yelled.

Zoro flipped the table over and ducked down behind it as Luffy's team barraged his team with more dessert.

Sanji and Nami both returned fire furiously. "Zoro! Get up and help us!" Nami said.

"Ugh." Zoro stood up and glanced at Skie, just in time to see her aim a cream puff at his head. He barely dodged it and it exploded against the fudge. "Oh I see how it is!" he grinned and scooped a glob of purple-something off the floor and hurled it at her.

She ducked and kicked a cupcake at him like a soccer ball. It bounced off his head, but left a big blob of frosting on his forehead. "I so win." she grinned.

Her grin vanished when he suddenly vanished. "Well, snap." she said.

"Skie, behind you!" Luffy said.

Skie glanced behind her, and the last thing she saw was Zoro grinning at her like a shark with a huge, somehow unscarred cake over his head. "Hey there," he said. And then he dumped it on her head.

"AAAGH! I'M HIT!" she flailed her arms, and fell to her knees as cake and frosting slid off her head.

"BAHAHA! Who wins _now_?" Zoro laughed.

"You dropped a whole cake on my head, cheater!" Skie laughed, shaking her head free of more of the cake. "GET HIM!" she roared, pointing at Zoro.

He yelped and dove back for the table, but not before getting hit with a 'Gomu Gomu no WE WIN'.

"Sanjiii! Where's the ammo?" Nami demanded.

"Everywhere." Sanji motioned at the completely trashed kitchen.

Yes, the ammo was used up. It was all spread too thin on the walls, floor and ceiling for them to use. Jello smeared the fridge and table, and what looked like grape soda dripped from the counter.

"I guess we're done, then." Luffy said, sighing.

"Oh, yess." Sanji nodded. "And you all are helping me clean it. Except for you, of course, Nami-Swan! And Skie-Chan too. You two can go have fun." he grinned at them.

"_WHAT_?" Zoro, Usopp, and Luffy's jaws hit the ground.

"Haha! Get to work!" Skie laughed and pointed at the ceiling, where several cupcakes were lodged in the rafters.

"RUN FOR IT!" Usopp yelled, sprinting towards the door.

"I don't think so!" Sanji was there first, blocking the three attempting-to-escape-their-fate-of-cleaning pirates. "You idiots are helping me 'till this place is _spotless_."

"Make us!" Zoro barked.

"Oh, I will!"

"C'mon Skie, let's go," Nami laughed, and the two girls exited the kitchen, where somewhat of an epic battle was starting.

* * *

I have no clue what is with me and food fights. I'm addicted, I guess xD

**Rootbeer** and **Rock**!


	44. Twelve and a half

**Chapter 44**

Fast update, no? I felt I needed to update his one today, though.

* * *

Nami and Skie wandered the streets of a small town. The cobblestone road was shoveled of snow and was lined with a variety of clean, tidy looking shops. There were two separate stores that caught the girls' attention. Nami was staring at an adorable looking clothing boutique, and Skie had her eyes on a café that advertised the 'World's greatest cocoa'. 

"You know," they both said at the same time, "That store looks pretty cool." They looked at each other and laughed at their simultaneous timing.

"We'll go to yours first," Nami said, and they headed for the café.

It had a huge red door, and a neat little path had been shoveled to it. Skie pushed it open, and their presence was announced by a tiny ring of a bell. Several small tables were scattered across the room, and a young lady stood behind the counter, her navy blue hair tied up in a pony tail. She had a dark green sweater on and an apron that was splotched with what looked like cinnamon.

"Hello!" she said cheerfully. "May I help you?"

Nami smiled and walked up to the counter, Skie behind her. She was staring a the ceiling, as it was covered in tin and quite shiny. "We'll both have some of the cocoa, please." Nami smiled.

"Mine with extra whipped cream!" Skie chirped.

"Sure," the lady smiled brightly and turned, her arms picking different jars of ingredients off the racks and shelves along the back wall. She definitely knew what she was doing; her arms were moving so fast they looked blurry, and she kept that cheerful smile on her face.

Skie looked down at the glass case that served as the front counter, mouth watering at the sight of the cookies and pastries it displayed.

"Want one?" Nami asked.

"Yes pleeease," Skie said, nodding. She pointed at a large cupcake, it was chocolate with cream cheese in the center. "I love those," she said, eyes big and sparkly.

"Right." Nami nodded, and looked up at the young lady again, whom was just topping off Skie's hot chocolate with a big dab of whipped cream.

"Here you are, anything else?" she asked, placing the mugs on the glass counter in front of them.

"That cupcake please. And I'd like a croissant." Nami told her.

"Okay," she pulled the two desserts out, put them on a paper plate, and handed them to Nami. "That'll be five hundred bellis," she said.

"I'll pay," Nami said when she noticed Skie start to fish through her pockets.

"Wow. That's very odd of you," Skie said, getting a smack on the head.

Nami paid and the two sat down at a little table by the front window. Skie took one sip of hers and flipped out. "IT'S SO GOOD!" she yelled, and chugged down the mug.

Nami nodded, "It is really good! Better than Sanji's!" she said. And unlike Skie, she drank it slowly, savoring it and giggling at Skie when she started pouting about it being gone. She had also scarffed down the insanely-tasty cupcake too.

Nami was halfway finished with her croissant when Skie glanced out the window, "Hey, it's the guys." she said, pointing.

And yes, it was. Luffy, Sanji, Usopp and Zoro were walking along the lightly snow-dusted cobblestone road, looking in the windows of the different stores. Usopp was the one that spotted them. He grinned and said something to the others before they all headed for the café. They noisily fell in, pushing a couple more tables next to theirs and sitting down.

"Hey guys," Nami said.

"You guys have to try the cocoa." Skie said, nodding at the lady behind the counter, whom currently had a pair of black glasses on her nose and was reading a book. "It's the best cocoa ever."

"Better than mine?" Sanji asked, grinning. As if any cocoa anyone else made could be better than his.

"Yes, actually," Nami and Skie both answered at the same time.

Sanji's head hit the table with a loud, pathetic clunk.

"Try it and see!" Skie said, pulling at his blonde hair playfully.

"Baaaaaah," Sanji whined.

"Quit your whining, stupid chef." Zoro said, leaning back in his chair.

"Shut up, you mutant!" Sanji said, glaring up at him.

"COCOA. NOW." Skie said before an argument started.

Luffy and Usopp were already buying their drinks and cookie combos.

"Better hurry before they order it all." Nami laughed as the two boys stumbled from their seats and scrambled to the counter. Sanji, predictably, showed off his best noodle dance upon seeing the pretty young lady.

"Skie!" Luffy said as he sat down next to her, "You're right! This is really good!"

"Isn't it?"

"Mmm-hmm." Usopp sat down beside Luffy and nodded as he drank his nonstop.

Zoro came back before Sanji, who was still flirting with the lady. Her smile was still there, but her eyes looked irritated, one eyebrow raised. She drummed her fingers on her book, trying to hint that she'd like to get back to her book now that he'd bought what he wanted.

"Yo! Moron!" Zoro called, drawing Sanji's glare to himself. "Leave the poor girl alone,"

Sanji smiled at the lady, apologized, then drifted back to the table, sitting across from Luffy and next to Nami. "Want a sip?" Sanji asked her.

"You first. You need to try it," Nami said.

Sanji sighed and took a sip. His eyes widened. He swallowed and stared down at his mug, jealousy lining his face. "How's it so good?"

"Because it is," Skie said, her chin on the table as she stared longingly at the mug. "So," she said, eyes shifting to her empty mug, "How much time do you guys think I have?"

They were silent, surprised by the sudden topic.

"I don't know," Luffy said.

"They said," Skie started, "They said I've been out for two months." she paused to blow a long strand of hair out of her face, "But it feels I've been here for two years."

"Huh." Nami leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, her expression thoughtful. "So one month in your world is equal to a year here. Thirty divided by three hundred and sixty five." She closed her eyes, fingers flexing in and out as if she was counting. "That'd be about point zero eight. One divided by point zero eight is twelve and a half. So one day here is equal to twelve and a half days in your world."

They stared at her.

"Nami-Swan is so smart!" Sanji cooed loudly, harts buzzing around his head like planes would buzz around King Kong on the Empire State Building.

"I can't do math in my head," Skie laughed. "So, let's say they pull the plug in one day in their world. That'd give me about twelve days." she smiled, "That's not a lot…But more than I'dve hoped for."

"We'll spend 'em right," Usopp told her. "We'll have fun, okay?"

Skie grinned, sitting up straighter. She looked at a solemn looking Zoro and then at his half empty mug of hot chocolate. "You gonna finish that?" she asked jokingly.

Zoro snapped out of his thoughts and looked up from the table at her. "Twelve days." he repeated. "Not even two weeks."

"We know that," Sanji growled at him, "Are you _trying _to depress her?" he whispered.

Zoro bared his teeth and answered him with a growl of his own.

"Boys, quit being stupid." Nami said. "Twelve days isn't a lot, sure, but we'll spend them right, like Usopp said."

Usopp nodded.

Zoro looked back down at the table.

"So what now?" Luffy asked, "What are we gonna do now?"

"Well, Skie and I were headed for that clothing shop across the street…"

Nami's suggestion was answered by a chorus of male groans. Clothes shopping? Blech!

"Oh come on guys, it's not that bad." Skie said, "I could use a new pair of jeans."

"What about the ones I got you for Christmas?" Nami asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Luffy chopped the legs off to make a quilt or something. They're short shorts now." Skie stuck out her tongue. "I have this thing against short shorts."

Zoro coughed and covered his nose with one of his hands.

"Zoro, your nose is bleeding." Luffy said.

"WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD?" Sanji roared.

Zoro glared away from them, blushing madly.

Nami and Usopp burst out laughing.

Skie laughed and stood up, "Let's head on out, then."

Another batch of groans.

"Fine, you boys go do something else, and Skie and I will go shopping." Nami huffed.

"We're coming!" they all said loudly.

"Then hurry up!"

-

Approximately six hours of intensely boy-boring clothes shopping later (and to the boys complete and total fury (save Sanji) not a single thing was purchased), the Straw Hat crews headed back for the ship, glad the streets were shoveled, as it was dark and tripping was more of a possibility now. When they clambered tiredly onto the deck, they started to split up to head to bed.

"Hey guys?" Skie called. They all stopped and turned to her. "G'night." she said, smiling.

"…Skie-Chaaaan!" Sanji rushed over to her and lifted her in another bear-hug.

"I wanna hug!" Luffy said loudly, storming over and putting his arms around the both of them.

"Me too!" Usopp was next.

"Idiots! Don't forget me!" Nami laughed and joined in the group hug.

Zoro huffed, and slowly, very slowly, inched his way over to them. "How about I just stand here pretending to hug you guys." he said grumpily.

"Nope!" They all let go of each other and engulfed Zoro, squishing him and Skie together.

"Urgh…air…" they both wheezed.

Nami reached a free hand out and put the camera at arms length away from them. "Smile!" she said, and snapped the picture. The camera coughed up the photo and the hug dispersed so they could see how it turned.

Luffy, Sanji, Usopp, and Nami were grinning widely. Skie and Zoro both looked completely frazzled. Skie had an eye squinted shut and Zoro's face was red.

"Aww!" Nami cooed.

"Hmph." Skie huffed, trying her hardest to hide her grin.

"I have a fun idea!" Luffy said, raising his hand. "Let's have a slumber party!"

"Slumber party?" Skie said, "That sounds fun!"

"I haven't had a slumber party in so long!" Nami said, eyes sparkling.

"What?" Zoro stared at Luffy, "What?"

"I'm Captain, so I say we have it down in our room!"

"Cool, then I don't have to move my stuff," Usopp grinned.

"I call one of the couches!" Skie said.

"Me too." Nami nodded.

"You can have my pillow if you're not comfortable enough, Nami!" Sanji said.

"Whaaat?" Zoro said, but they all ignored him.

Nami and Skie dragged their pillows down to the men's room, Skie nearly burying Usopp when she dropped them down the trap door. She hopped down, landing lightly, and started arranging her blankets and such on one of the comfy looking couches, Nami doing the same with the opposite couch.

Zoro was in his hammock, arms crossed over his chest, and he glared at Sanji's back. His hammock was right next to Skie's couch. He wondered to himself if she'd picked that couch for that reason. She didn't seem to notice him though, so he doubted it.

"G'night everyone!" Luffy said cheerfully from his own hammock.

"G'night, Luffy!" everyone answered.

The lights went off, but they all stayed up talking and giggling quietly as if someone would come in and tell them to hush up if they were too loud.

At one point, when everyone had quieted down a bit, Skie flipped onto her stomach and looked at Zoro, who hadn't said a word through the whole night. "Is that fun?" she asked.

"Is what fun?" he answered, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"Sleeping in a hammock?"

"Not really."

"…" Skie raised an eyebrow and put a hand on his shoulder.

"…?" he turned his head and looked at her, confused. "What're you-"

Skie grinned and pushed his shoulder, making the hammock swing back and forth violently.

"Gah! Skie!" Zoro yelled.

She laughed as he squirmed and wiggled, trying to get the hammock to stop moving. She held out a hand and grabbed the hammock when he got close enough and pulled, stopping its swinging.

"See? See? That's not fun!" he complained, rolling over onto his side to glare at her.

"Uh-huh." she smiled at him and he found himself blushing. Without really thinking, he reached a hand out and grabbed the couch's armrest and pulled himself closer to her. He ignored her puzzled expression and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. She smiled and blushed, then pulled away. He stared at her, waiting for some sort of reaction.

She put a hand on his hand that held onto the couch's armrest and grinned.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Good night, Zoro." she said, and pulled his hand up.

"Whoa!" When his hand let go he swung free, his hammock rocking back and forth.. "Skiiie!" he roared.

Skie laughed herself to sleep.

* * *

The clock is starting! Eleven days left! 

**Rootbeer** and **Rock**!


	45. Marines! :ELEVEN DAYS:

**Chapter 45**

_**BEWARE**_. _Dramatic crap ahead._ Sorry guys xD

* * *

The morning came bright and early. 

In fact, it came a bit too early for one of the Straw Hat pirates…

"Skie! Skie get up!" shouted a muted voice.

"Five more minutes…" she grumbled in response, still half asleep.

"Wake up now! Marines are attacking the ship!"

"Five more minutes!"

"GRAH!"

Someone grabbed her, flung her over his shoulder, and ran across the room, Skie bobbing up and down, still half asleep. "Stupid! You're gonna get us killed!" he yelled. Skie recognized Usopp's voice and grumbled something incoherent. "What?" he asked, almost flying up the ladder out onto the deck.

"'M tired." she said.

"Forget that!" Usopp barked at her as he ducked and dived between two angry looking Marines.

She cracked an eye open and saw several Marines claw their way out of the men's quarters. Apparently Usopp had gotten her out just in time. "Where are the others?" she asked, more awake now.

"Captured."

"Captured?"

"Captured." Usopp leapt off the Merry and landed on the dock of an island they'd just reached that morning. She was impressed that he could still run relatively cheetah-quick even as he carried her. "Can you run on your own yet?!"

"Probably." she said, narrowing her eyes at the pursuing Marines. "What are we gonna do about them?"

"The Marines? Outrun them!" Usopp said.

"Can you, by chance, outrun a bullet?"

"DAMMIT!" Usopp swerved into the trees, off the road.

A bullet whizzed by, leaving a gouge in a nearby tree. Several more followed suit, every bullet barely missing its targets.

"AAAAAGH!" Usopp screamed, tears flowing form his eyes like waterfalls.

"RUN FASTER! THEY'RE GAINING!" Skie yelled.

"Easy for you to say!" Usopp yelled back, turning sharply to the left, and barely avoiding a flying dagger as it dug into the thick bark of a tree he was just in front of. "You're heavy, you know!"

"You're not supposed to tell a girl that!" Skie barked.

"And you're not supposed to eat so much junk!"

"Are you calling me fat?!"

"I'm calling you heavy!"

"DUCK!"

Usopp ducked, and another volley of bullets and daggers whizzed by. "They're out for blood," Usopp remarked.

"I don't even have a Wanted poster, yet!" Skie whined.

"You're still a pirate!"

"True."

"HOW CAN YOU SOUND SO CALM?" he turned and roared at her.

"I'm still tired." she said flatly. She glanced back at the Marines and her eyes widened, "Kch!" she ground her teeth angrily and grabbed a nearby tree branch and gripped Usopp's shirt at the same time, stopping them short.

"What are you doing?!" Usopp shrieked.

As soon as Skie's feet touched the ground, she was in the air, flying high above the tree tops. Usopp was too shocked to react quite yet. They both looked down, just in time to see where they had just been standing had become a crater thanks to a volley of cannon fire.

"That was close." Usopp said. "…AAAAAAAAAAGH!" The screaming kicked in and he clung to her arm.

"Just let me hit the ground first and we're fine!" she yelled over his constant siren of a scream. They started dropping back to the ground; slow at first, but steadily gaining speed, and the faster they fell, the louder Usopp's screaming got. "I'm gonna go DEAF with you doing that!" Skie yelled.

She touched the ground and bounded up again, ignoring the angry Marine's shouting after them.

"Don't le them get away!"

"She's got a Devil Fruit!"

"I tripped, will someone help me up?"

Usopp's screaming had died down to a bit of a "Ah…AAH! …Ah…" and he would only scream when they neared the ground for another jump. "Calm down, we'll hide on that cliff over there," Skie said, pointing at a tall cliff face that the Marine's would have trouble climbing up. "One more jump, then you're running." she said. "And you called me heavy."

"Oi." Usopp complained.

Skie leapt off the ground once more, a bird almost crashing into the both of them, and they landed on the edge of the cliff, almost toppling off backwards. Steadying themselves, they sprinted into the woods. Usopp sped ahead of her, so she jumped to keep up, staying low to the ground as trees and leaves rushed passed them.

"Let's hide in that," Usopp pointed up at a tall, thick tree up ahead of them down the trail.

Skie nodded, "'Kay."

When they reached the tree, they stopped in front of the trunk. "Shh!" Skie hissed, and the two of them listened, trying to make out something that would be associated with Marines, like a cannon, or a gunfire. They heard a shout, not far down the trail they just ran, and Skie grabbed Usopp's arm. With one jump they were almost to the top of the tree, and Skie landed clumsily on a thick branch, almost dropping Usopp.

"They were running this way," they heard someone say.

Several Marines in uniforms, brandishing guns of various sizes, rushed passed and under the tree. Someone else caught Skie's eye. She could barely see him through the braches, but there was no mistaking who that Marine was. With his wide steps and squared shoulders and the duel strands of smoke that stretched into the air…

"Smoker…!" Skie whispered. "Crap!"

"Shh!" Usopp said, putting a finger over his mouth as he clung to his branch.

"I don't give a damn how long it takes you," they heard Smoker grown. "Just _find _them!"

"Yes sir!" a young Marine yelped, running off to tell his fellow Marines their orders.

"Damn Straw Hats…They're like rats, scampering about." Smoker growled.

"We got the strongest of them, sir," Tashigi's voice was heard too. "The other two were the weakest of the crew. They should be easiest to catch, sir."

"We caught them by surprise," Smoker said slowly. "But you're right. The two others will be next to nothing."

Skie and Usopp's eyes twitched, but they stayed silent.

"I can't wait to get back to the base and tell that bastard I don't take orders from anyone," Smoker growled.

"Sir, he's higher ranking-"

"I know! Just let me grumble in peace!"

The Marines moved on, passing their tree. With what they brought, you would have thought they were hunting a dinosaur. Ten Marines dragged along a seastone cage, six canons were being dragged by five men each, and each man was armed with at least one gun and a sword.

When they were well out of earshot, Skie was the first to dare to speak up.

"If we're so weak, why do they have all those weapons then?"

"I 'unno." Usopp said, voice shaking. "M-m-maybe they're afraid that we've gotten tougher? Yeah, that's it! They're a bit taunted by how unknown our skills are!"

"Pfffft. Ours aren't that great."

"I beat up a merman!"

"I mean compared to the others. Nami's tough, but that's because she's…well…I don't really know. She's just tough." Skie shrugged.

"True…" Usopp sighed.

"We gotta rescue them." Skie said.

"What?! We'll get caught!"

"If we don't try to rescue them they'll get killed!"

"…" Usopp was silent. "A-All right…" he looked through the tree branches. "Hey, Skie?"

"Yep?" Skie was already starting to clamber down the branches.

"Skie, don't move." Usopp said, his throat catching.

"Why?"

"T-Trap."

"Eh?"

"Don't move any farther. They've surrounded us."

"Surrounded?!"

"Shh!" Usopp hissed. "Not us, but the area. If we go down they'll see us!"

"So we're stuck?"

"Yeah…"

"Dammit," Skie pulled herself back up onto her branch and sighed. "Wait. I have an idea!" You could almost see the light bulb appear over her head.

"And what is this brilliant idea, oh Brilliant One?" Usopp sighed.

"Be sarcastic again and I'll ditch ya." Skie huffed. "Okay, it's not exactly genius or anything," She glared at Usopp when he started smirking. "But it'll get us out of this tree and far away, if you catch my drift." she looked through a patch of leaves out to the far-off ocean.

"You mean…" Usopp started.

"Yep."

"And we're gonna…"

"Yup."

"All the way over _there_?!"

"Yyup!" Skie grinned and stood up on the branch. "Ready? This is gonna be big."

"Sure, just don't kill us-Wha!" Usopp stumbled on the branch he was standing on and shouted, reaching out and catching another branch to steady himself.

"What was that?" a voice called.

"It was from there!"

"In the tree?"

"They're up there!"

"Oh, nice one, Usopp!" Skie sighed, and grabbed his arm. She backed up so her back was pressed up against the trunk. "Hold on tight." she said.

Usopp nodded and clung to her arm. "Don't kill us!"

"I'll try."

A shot went off and a bullet lodged itself in the trunk an inch from her head.

"What do you mean you'll _try_?!" Usopp shrieked.

"Here we go!" Skie leaned forward, put one foot on the trunk and planted the other one firmly on the branch.

"Wait! Never mind! I'm gonna stay here!" Usopp shouted.

Skie took a deep breath, and pushed off.

The noise was deafening. The force of her jump knocked the tree back with a loud creak, followed by a violent crack. As they sped through the air, more like flying than jumping, they glanced back, and saw the huge tree topple back and shatter their seastone cage.

"Smoker looks pissed." Usopp gulped.

"Why aren't you screaming?"

"I don't know. Too freaked out, probably." Usopp said.

They soared over the treetops, and Skie judged her distance perfectly. They landed to a sliding halt on a dirt road…right next to the Marine base. "Perfect!" Skie said.

"PERFECT?" Usopp said loudly, his jaw dropping. "Skie, they're after us!"

"We also gotta rescue the others!" She paused. "You know, rescuing the guys wasn't exactly my idea of spending my last days alive."

Usopp opened his mouth to say something, but a terrifying noise cut him off.

"AAAGCH!" A shriek filtered out over the wall.

"Sanji? Sanji!" Usopp shouted, running up to the wall and kicking at it. "It's no use! It's solid stone!" he cried.

"Usopp." Skie called. "Guess what _I _can do."

"…Oh. Right." Usopp nodded and grabbed her arm and they leapt over the edge. They landed behind a neatly stacked pile of barrels and supplies. "Where are they?"

"Over there." Skie narrowed her eyes and pointed at the far end of the large clearing surrounded by the tall stone wall. "They've got Sanji and the others." she said quietly.

"AAAAH!" Sanji screamed again.

A tall Marine stood in front of the crew, his hair was flame red and choppy, and his uniform sleeves were rolled up. "I'll ask you one more time."

The Marine wrapped his fingers around a lever, and as Skie followed what the lever was attached too, fear bubbled up in her chest. She glanced at Usopp and could tell he'd already seen it. Sanji's arm was inside a clamp, locked tightly around his arm. He was chained heavily to a single post, as were all the other crew members, whom were shouting furious threats at the Marine.

"Where's the damn girl?"

"I don't know." Sanji growled.

The Marine pulled the lever and Sanji screamed again as the clamp tightened. His arm was turning blue. "S-Stop it!" he shouted.

"Leave him alone!" Luffy roared, struggling with the chains. Skie noticed he had seastone handcuffs on.

"If I did know, I wouldn't tell you," Sanji barked, pain getting the best of his mind. "I wouldn't tell you!"

The Marine let go of the lever and stepped in front of the lined up Straw Hats calmly. "I don't think, you realize how important this is. You're all aware of where she is from, correct?"

"Yeah," Nami said. "From another world."

"Not just any world, Nami. The place where you were created." The man looked up at the sky for a moment. "The author of your story lives in her world. When she first arrived here she was all too familiar with every single one of you. With your histories, what has happened to you in the past, she knows it all. And since her arrival…the story has stopped moving forward."

The crew looked at him like he was crazy.

Chuckling, the Marine shook his head. "Here's what that means, you slow bunch of animated morons. She has been here, how long do you think? Two years? And yet, none of you have aged a _bit_. Simply put, she is keeping you alive and young. She is the key to your unknown immortality."

"Damn psychopath." Zoro growled.

The Marine threw back his head and laughed. "Exactly! You don't believe me! That's fine." he smiled. "I can torture you all within an inch from death, knowing full well you will not die. Isn't that a happy thought." he grinned at them. "Tell me where the girl is and I will set you free. And you can go about becoming King of the Pirates and drawing the first map of the world, and all the other senseless junk you all do. You've hidden her somewhere." The Marine's tone turned dangerous again. "Now tell me where."

"Make us!" Luffy shouted, with all the maturity of a five year old.

"All right, fine!" The Marine, seeming to lose patience, drew a think sword from his belt that was unseen by Skie and Usopp. "Eat metal, Rubber-Boy."

Zoro strained against the chains, but they were too thick, "Luffy!"

Suddenly, a barrel exploded on top of the Marine's head, sending apples everywhere.

"…What the hell." His eyes flashed and he bared his teeth in a maniac grin. "There you are!" He spun around, arms wide, as if he was inviting someone into a hug.

Skie and Usopp, both with a barrel in their arms, harrumphed.

"I've been searching all over for you." he smiled again, his red hair falling in front of his black eyes. "Ever since your bloody, green-haired friend left me on that damn island."

"What're you talking about?" Skie and Zoro growled.

The Marine sighed. "Don't you recognize me?"

"Fuh. No?" Skie huffed.

"Why Skie! It's me! Your old best, mini-phoenix friend." The Marine smiled even wider, showing a pair of pointed incisors. "Zee."

* * *

Dawgonit I feel guilty for putting all this dramatic junk in, but I've been planning out this stupid chapter for way too long. Ugh. 

DARNIT ZEE TURNED EVIL.

**Rootbeer** and **Rock**!


	46. Usopp Skie TEAM UP! :ELEVEN DAYS:

**Chapter 46**

Look! An _uuupdaaate!_

* * *

Skie blinked.

Zee grinned at her.

She blinked again.

Zee still grinned.

Skie blinked for a third time.

Zee's grin wilted a bit.

She opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it again.

Zee's arms dropped to his side and his grin vanished. He looked impatient now. "Well?" he said.

"…" Skie twisted up her face in thought. "You're too tall."

Zee slapped his forehead with his palm. "Yeah. Yeah I am. You're so stupid."

"And too grouchy. My Zee would be giving me a hug right now."

"Hey! I gave you the option! I even did this!" Zee threw his arms open again.

"You've kind of been torturing my friends." Skie said slowly. "I don't hug friend-torturers."

"Ah. I can understand that." He nodded, smiling. "I take it you heard what I said about you?" He paused, "Or didn't you understand it?"

"I got it!" Skie huffed, lowering the barrel in her arms. "You said when I showed up here I stopped the story."

"And you did!" Zee jumped down from the wooden platform on which Sanji and the others were chained. Usopp flinched as he drew closer. "When you showed up, you were like a roadblock! The car crash that backs up a highway for miles and miles." He waved his arm for emphasis. "So they," he motioned back over his shoulder at the still-as-stone crew, "Have been stuck here. Like when you pause a movie. Never getting any older. Just stuck."

Usopp's grip tightened on the barrel. Skie did the same, narrowing her eyes at the redhead as he drew closer. "Stay there," Skie said, her voice as commanding as she could make it.

Zee stopped. "Or what? You'll throw another barrel at me?" He threw back his head and laughed again. "HA!"

Skie narrowed her eyes. "What happened to you?"

Zee's grin vanished. "It's your fault." His black eyes flashed. "That island he left me on. Well, he more like chucked me on it like I was a baseball." Zee looked back at Zoro.

Skie followed Zee's gaze and her and the swordsman's eyes met. "You did that?"

Zoro snorted. "Yeah, I left him on that island, but I didn't throw him!" he said.

"True. I like doing that." Zee giggled, pointed teeth glimmering in the sunlight.

Skie looked back at Zee. "Do what?"

"Making people mad at each other for no reason. Stirring up arguments. Messing with people's heads. It's become quite a hobby!" he said cheerfully.

Usopp was inching to the side, trying to get passed Zee and to the rest of the crew; especially Sanji, who was struggling with the clamp that was so slowly killing his arm. Usopp dropped his barrel and ran at Sanji, pulling out his hammer and aiming to break it in half, or something usefull like that.

"Usopp, stop!" Skie shrieked as Zee swiveled, his black eyes watching Usopp's every step.

"Hn." Zee drew his thin sword again, walking purposefully towards the sharpshooter with surprising speed for someone who was walking.

"RAH!" Skie hurled the barrel at the redhead's head. It burst into flame before it reached him.

Usopp halted, staring at the ash that rained down at the phoenix, eyes wide.

Skie gulped and grabbed another barrel, "Don't make me throw something else!" she threatened. "I'll do it! So help me I will!"

"Guys, I can't feel my arm…" Sanji said softly. He pulled on it again and winced. He needed to get out. He needed to get out now. Both arms were needed if he wanted to continue being a great chef.

Skie looked at Zee, looked at Sanji, and then back at Zee again. Without really thinking, she jumped up, throwing the barrel down at Zee as she passed over him. As she expected, the barrel burst into flame above his head just as she hit the ground. She and Usopp charged for the clamp.

Skie stole a glance at Zee when she reached the metal contraption, and he was striding towards them, that smile still on his face. She looked at Usopp as he stopped next to her. "Break it!" she said, and whirled around. She narrowed her eyes and ran at Zee.

"Skie, don't be an idiot!" Nami barked.

"He'll burn you!" Luffy yelled.

"MORON!" Zoro roared. He strained against the chains again, but aside from a few bent links, nothing broke.

She put a hand in her sweatshirt pocket and pulled out something she hadn't used in over a year. The staff Nami had given her when she first found herself on the Going Merry. With a click and snap, the staff was complete, and she swung it like a baseball bat.

He held up his sword calmly, and with a loud _Clang_ her attack was halted. He grinned at her. "Gotcha."

"Yeah, well you're stupid."

"I'm hurt."

"Like this?" And Skie rammed her knee in his gut.

As Zee writhed on the ground Skie looked back at Usopp. "Have you broken the dumb thing yet?"

Usopp was hitting the base with the hammer. "It," _BANG_ "Wont," _BANG_ "Break!" _BANG!_

Skie glanced at still writhing Zee and rushed over. "Lemme try something." She sat down in front of the base and put her feet on the metal. "Back up," she told Usopp. He complied and scampered backwards near Luffy.

"What's that gonna do?!" Nami shrieked.

"A lot." Usopp said. "She broke a tree. A _big_ tree."

"Eh? Really?" Luffy looked amazed.

"Hup!" Skie pulled her legs back and concentrated on pretending she was about to jump in the air. She had to be jumping for her Devil Fruit to work. She kicked out, and sent a huge metal chunk flying from the center, as if she'd chopped it in half. The clamp was no longer attached to the lever, and popped open. Sanji yanked his arm back and bent it repeatedly, trying to get the blood flowing again.

"Thank you, Skie-Chan! I'm gonna cook anything you want for the rest of forever!" he promised. "I'd hug you if I wasn't chained to the damn pole."

Usopp grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "Great job! Just how I planned it!"

"Totally!" Skie grinned back, playing along.

"You thought up that? Wow! You're cleverer than I thought." Luffy said.

"Hey!"

"Why…you…"

Skie turned back to look at Zee as he lurched his way back up into a standing position, one of his arms wrapped around his gut.

"I-I'll get you for that."

"Zee, what happened to you on that island?" Skie asked, ignoring the threat.

Zee looked at her with his black eyes and looked frustrated. "Well, first off, the island Zoro ditched me at happened to be home to an abandoned Marine Base." Zee explained. "They'd left one of their Captains there." Zee paused for a second. "Well, I found him. Or rather, he found me. And the thing is, he was ditched because he'd used his Devil Fruit powers to possess another Captain, and the possessed guy went around killing people."

"And when he found you, he…?"

"Yep. Picked me up and tried to possess poor little me. Apparently he was sick of the Captain's body." Zee looked at his nails and scratched at them. "But, I'm not exactly _human_, you see. Instead of zapping into my body so our souls could be roomies, I sort of melded with the captain's body. I'm as tall as he is, and I've got the guys' sadistic nature, but I have my hair!" Zee fluffed up his hair, "I love my hair."

"That's nice." Skie nodded. "I loved it too."

"Hey, no fair. You used the past tense."

"You're kind of evil now, you know."

"Am not." Zee huffed. "Anyway, I also kept my memories. That's what happened with the melding, or whatever you want to call it. I'm Zee, but I'm not. Get it?"

"Nope." Luffy shook his head. "Now let me go so I can pound you."

"Nah, I'm fine." Zee shook his head, his tone familiar to someone who would be declining an invitation for tea. "And even if I did untie you, Luffy, you would still not be able to do anything with those handcuffs."

Luffy looked down at the cuffs. "Darn it."

"Wow, he's slow. I don't know why this still surprises me." Zee said.

"You being possessed and crap still doesn't explain why you were about to chop Sanji's arm off to find me." Skie said. "Why?"

"You're the only key I have to get back into my world."

"Your world? You mean my world?"

"No! Stupid!" Zee barked, angry again. "Your world is the one that's filled with people who create worlds! Like One Piece for example!"

"I'm dreaming." Skie stated.

"Idiot, you're not dreaming!" Zee said through clenched teeth. "Every time someone thinks up something, whether it be a full blown world or a single puny emotion, it becomes real as life somewhere else."

Skie blinked.

"You were head over heels obsessed with this idiotic manga when that truck hit you. I guess that had something to do with where your mind threw you. Lucky for you, though, half of you is stuck in your world, so you do have a way back."

"Uhm…"

"Think of yourself as a cell. You know about cells splitting, right? Well, think about you as a cell. The car hit you, and you split in half. Mind and body. The two halves are exactly alike, 'cept one is awake and one's not." Zee crossed his arms behind his back, "But the longer you stay here, the less alive you become there. I already heard you're brain dead over there."

Skie flinched. "Yeah? And they're pulling the plug. Which mean's you'll disappear."

"Not true!" Zee grinned. "See, you die while you're stuck here, and I'll just be stuck here too. Except I'll have absolutely no hope of getting back to the world you created me for-"

"Hold the stupid phone, the world I created?"

Zee sighed. "Yes. Yes, the world you created. You're writing a book right?"

Skie nodded slowly.

"There you go. They're all real. From Elien; your annoying and hyperactive heroine, to PyroMetallic; your dark and insane villain. They're real. And I'd really like to get back there before you do die."

"How can you take something as Skie dying so lightly?" Usopp demanded. "I thought you two were friends!"

"Oh we are! I'm just not really Zee right now. I look like a tall version of him and I've got his memories, but I am, in no real way, Zee."

"Then let Zee go," Skie suggested.

"Can't. Stupid. I'm stuck." Zee pulled at his hair for emphasis. "And I can't. Take it. Anymore."

"Well how the heck am I supposed to get you back?!" Skie said.

"I don't know!" Zee roared. "I don't know!" He pulled on his hair a bit harder and let out a roar that sounded completely inhuman and angry.

Skie stepped back until she bumped into the remnants of the clamp, and hardly noticed when Sanji placed his slowly-getting-its-color-back arm on her shoulder.

"Get us out of these chains," he whispered. "And then leave the rest to us…"

Skie nodded and turned to Sanji, looking at the ridiculously large deadlock that locked the chains together. "Usopp," she said, "Get something to get these open," she said.

Usopp nodded and started digging through his bag.

"But maybe," Zee started softly. Skie turned her head to keep an eye on him. "But maybe…Maybe if I kill you here, you'll wake up in your world and I'll be back where I belong." A grin spread across his face. "Maybe."

"Any time now, Skie!" Sanji said.

"Hold your horses!" Skie barked. Usopp put a little tool that looked like an unbent paperclip in her hand and she stuck it in the lock.

"Hurry uuup!" the crew shouted.

"Hold on!" Skie yelled.

She twisted the tool the wrong way and it broke in half. "Aw snap."

"DUCK!" they all yelled.

Skie did so and a sword sliced the air above her head. "Whoa!" She scampered out of range from the blade and jumped again to avoid another slash. She bounced a few times, putting some distance between them, so Zee stood between her and her crew. "What if it doesn't work?" Skie yelled at him, "What if you get stuck here and I just die?"

"Well then at least I'll have tried, right?" Zee grinned.

"USOPP'S…"

Zee and Skie turned and looked at the long-nosed sharpshooter.

"HAMMER!"

And before Zee could defend himself, Usopp's '2-ton Hammer' collided with his face.

Zee went flying, and landed like a ragdoll on the dirt, rolling and flipping until he finally slid to a stop. He lay there unmoving.

"Phew!" Skie grinned, putting her hands on her hips. "Thanks, Usopp," She smiled at him cheerfully.

"No problem!" Usopp gave her a thumbs up and put the hammer over his shoulder.

"Fighting back?" Zee sat up, and Skie and Usopp jumped. "Okay. That's fine."

"Run, morons, RUN!" Zoro yelled.

"What?! Don't leave us! He'll kill us!" Nami said.

"Zee's trying to kill Skie right now, not us!" Luffy said.

"Well then, Skie, you run! Usopp, get over here and unchain me!"

Zee grinned again and smoke trailed from his mouth. He looked absolutely vampiric. And terrifying. Don't' forget terrifying. He stood up and thrust his hands lazily in his pockets as his arms caught fire. The flames started by his wrists and moved upwards until they laced around his shoulders. "Scared?"

"Only a bit." Skie gulped.

"Not me! I'm not scared!" said a wobbly-kneed Usopp. Zee didn't acknowledge him, though.

"Run or I'll kill you myself!" Zoro barked.

Skie shook her head, "I'm fine." She shook her head again and glared at Zee. "I know you're in there somewhere, you stupid little phoenix, now come out!"

"That's not gonna work! You've been watching too many movies." Zee laughed.

"Knew it." Skie sighed. "I knew the Zee I knew was too weak to get passed something like this."

"Eh?" Zee blinked.

"It's how I made you up I guess. All talk and no power. Pathetic."

"I'm strong! I could tear you to shreds with my hands alone!" Zee growled, baring his teeth. More smoke snaked out of his teeth.

"Sure you are. I made you headstrong too. Did you know that? Pretty stupid too."

"I'm not stupid." Zee waved an arm violently at her and a whip of flame flared out from his arm. Skie jumped out of the way, the flame barely missing, but it left a gray scorch mark across her sweatshirt's pocket.

"The real Zee was stronger than this, though, pathetic as he was." Skie taunted.

"Skie, stop it!" Usopp said.

"Shut up, I'm having a conversation here!" Skie said back.

Usopp narrowed his eyes.

"Unchain us. Now." Zoro commanded.

"Don't you give me that look! Say please!" Usopp huffed.

"NOW."

"Fine!" Usopp started digging through his pack again for another lock pick.

"Zee was not pathetic!" Zee whipped out the flame again, and Skie barely ducked. "Zee was strong! He was a phoenix!" Another flame flared out from his other arm and he crossed them for a scissor like attack. Skie leapt straight up and the two flames met in a blaze of blue.

"Yeah, but a wimpy phoenix!"

"NO. HE. WASN'T!" Zee threw his arms in the air and the whips grew thicker and brighter. "Don't worry, you stupid little brat," Zee ground out. "You'll be waking up soon, and I'll be back home." Zee let the flames get brighter, and swung them down at Skie.

She braced her legs to jump, but a small part of her stubborn mind knew she wouldn't get out of the way in time. But before she could even try to attempt an escape, she felt something crash into her, and the flames crashed into the dirt a second after she'd been there.

"Usopp!" Skie said.

"You know, moving, would have been a smart option right then."

"I was gonna! I could have if I wanted to, you just interrupted me!"

"You were frozen!"

"Moron, you can't freeze when you're that close to fire!"

"THE TWO OF YOU SHUT UP AND MOVE!" Nami roared.

Usopp and Skie looked up to see the flame-clubs or whatever they were, zooming for them.

Skie kicked him and the two of them slid in opposite directions, the flames slamming heavily into the ground where they just were. "Usopp! Shoot him!" Skie said.

"You didn't have to kick me!" Usopp complained, rubbing his sore side. "Owie." He pulled out his slingshot. "Hey! Bird!"

Zee growled and looked at Usopp.

"Eat lead! Or…metal! EAT METAL! CALTROPS!" Het let several spiky shuruken fly. Zee put his arms up and most of the caltrops melted. There was a double _thunk_, and two of the caltrops had dug into Zee's arms.

He growled, plucking the caltrops from his arms. "I'll crush you both flat."

Usopp jumped to his feet. "Usopp's Mighty Rubber Band!" he roared as he stretched the small elastic back and pointed it at Zee.

"Gah!" Zee closed his eyes and winced away from the elastic, the flames on his arms dying down exponentially as he flinched. They were nothing more than flickers on his arms now. When nothing stuck him he cracked open an eye. "What…? AAGH!" he staggered backwards and saw Skie and Usopp, both in the air, and both soaring right towards him.

"USOPP'S HAMMER!"

"HRRAAH!"

At the exact same time, Usopp's hammer struck Zee's face, and Skie's powerful jump/kick hit his gut. The redhead was flung backwards and he crashed into the tall stone wall that encircled the Marine Base. He coughed and slid to the ground, fell to his knees, and landed heavily on his chest, sprawled out and beaten, and the crumbling wall fell on top of him.

Skie and Usopp stared at him for a moment. The entire crew was silent.

"WE DID IT!" Skie and Usopp shouted, high-fiving each other.

"Yes! Who's the weakest now? BURN!" Skie yelled.

"Who rocks? Usopp rocks!"

"We did it, we did it, we did it!"

"Let's do the robot!"

"M'kay!"

As Skie and Usopp celebrated with the most epic robot dance known to mankind, the rest of the crew was staring at a group of people who appeared in the hole created by Zee's crash.

"Uh…Guys…" Sanji called.

"Hey!" Luffy chirped. "It's Smoker!"

"There you are!" Smoker barked.

"…RUN FOR IT!" Skie and Usopp turned tail to escape.

"GET BACK HERE!" the rest of the crew roared.

"AAAARGH!" Skie and Usopp U-turned and charged back to the poles. Usopp, quick as a flash, tore out the little lock picking tool and unlocked every single chain and Luffy's seastone handcuffs in less than two seconds.

The chains fell to the ground, leaving the crew shocked.

"…WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THAT EARLIER?!" they all roared.

"Sooorry!" they both sang. Then the six of them charged for the wall. Sanji helped Nami get over, Zoro got over by himself, as did Luffy, and Skie grabbed Usopp's arm and leapt over like that.

They all laughed as Smoker and the Marines followed them, lagging far behind.

-

The Going Merry was out at sea, safe and away from any Marines. For the time being, at least.

"That had to be the coolest thing I've ever done!" Skie said. "But…I wish there was a way I could've gotten Zee out. The taunting thing didn't work too well, huh? That always works in movies."

"That was stupid." Zoro scolded. "All you did was make that psycho mad. He was trying to kill you, understand?"

"Yep." Skie half-sang.

"DON'T SOUND SO CHEERFUL!" Nami, Sanji, and Zoro roared.

Skie just grinned. "You know what? After a day of beating up evil baddies and _rescuing_ you guys, I think I'm gonna go to bed early." She stood and stretched her arms over her head. "I'll see you guys tomorrow, and we can start off the rest of my time here with cool stuff!" And with that, she tromped down to her room, closing the door behind her.

The crew was silent as she left.

"When are we gonna talk about what Zee said?" Nami spoke first.

"Tomorrow. Or maybe later than that." Zoro said. "Or, how about not at all?"

"I like the last one. All that other world stuff made my head hurt," Luffy said.

"I agree with Moss-Head. We should spend the rest of the time we have with Skie having fun; like she said. Forget that other world crap, and that our creator is in her world. That doesn't concern us, really." Sanji said quietly. His arm was better. Pins and needles, still, but it was going to be perfectly back to normal in less than a day's time.

There was somewhat of an awkward silence between them.

"Well!" Usopp said, yawning. "I'm pretty worn out too! Think I'll head off to get some sleep…Oh, and you guys owe me for saving you!" he said, and disappeared out the door.

"YEAH RIGHT!" they roared after him.

* * *

OMG this story just got _substance_! xD

_TEN DAYS!_

**Rootbeer** and **Rock**!


	47. TOYS GALORE! :TEN DAYS:

**Chapter 47**

And the drama ends here! (yayz!)

* * *

The morning started with a slight drizzle, the clouds a dull grayish blue color that made the sun looked like a hazed, glowing coin.

It also started with Luffy waking Skie up by accidentally dropping a cake on her head.

"GAH! RUN, PETER! HOOK'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU!" Skie roared as she sat up frantically, shaken from whatever dream she was just immersed in as frosting fell of her nose. "…" She looked down at the cake pieces scattered around her, then up at Luffy, who had a twisted expression of someone who knew they were about to be punished for something but were enjoying the moment at the same time. "Luffy," she started slowly." You dropped a cake on my head."

"I didn't mean too!" Luffy said.

"Skie-Chaaan!" Sanji's voice filtered through the door to her room, "Do you like your 'Happy Good Morning' cake?"

"Oh, I loved it." Skie said flatly.

Sensing the unhappy tone in her voice, Sanji poked his head through the door, his eyes large and watery. His hurt expression quickly morphed into a frightening, bare-toothed growl at the sight before him. "LUFFY!" he roared.

"I didn't mean too!" Luffy said again, more frantic this time. "I tripped!"

As Sanji stormed down the stairs to pummel his Captain, Skie got out of bed and headed up the stairs, a blanket wrapped around herself. "Now I gotta take a shower." she mumbled to herself. She _hated _morning showers.

She bumped into Nami at the top of the stairs. "Hey, Nami." she said cheerfully.

Nami started laughing when she saw her. "Skie, there's a cake on your head."

"No. Really?" Skie grinned as Nami laughed harder. "I'm gonna take a quick shower, okay?"

"Make sure your hair is dry before you head outside again. It'll freeze."

"I know." Skie grinned.

"Boo." Zoro's face suddenly appeared in front of her, upside down as he hung by his feet from the shrouds that led to the crow's nest.

"GAH!" Skie shrieked, throwing an arm in front of her.

He grinned. "There's cake on your head."

"Geez, I know!" Skie said, "Don't scare me like that. I'll go all ninja on you."

"Sure." Zoro grinned. "You should take your shower quick before the frosting freezes."

"It'd melt off anyway." Skie said.

"Go on, now." Nami said, pushing Zoro's head out of the way and ushering Skie towards the bathroom, ignoring Zoro's threats as he swung form side to side by one ankle.

-

Skie exited the bathroom fully dressed in her usual gray hoodie and jeans, and with a furious expression on her face. "I." she started. "HATE. HAIRDRYERS." she roared, the ship shaking.

Usopp appeared out of the kitchen. "Skie?" His face turned blank, his eyes turning into round circles and his jaw dropping. "Uh. Um. Uhm…"

"Go on! Laugh!" Skie barked, putting her hands on her hips indignantly. "I _dare _you."

Usopp slid back into the kitchen and let the door close before he burst into uproarious laughter.

"Hmph." Skie's eyebrow twitched.

"Skie! You're out? Good!" Sanji was next out of the kitchen, "Then we can go to-AAGH! WHAT HAPPENED?! WHERE YOU ELECTROCUTED?!"

This drew everyone else out of the kitchen, and Zoro's head appeared as he peeked out from the crow's nest.

"No." Skie huffed. "Your hairdryer sucks, is all."

There was a short (very short) pause before the crew burst into fits of laughter.

Skie's hair looked like she was electrocuted, as it stood up and stuck out in every angle possible on her head. One of her eyebrows twitched again.

"GAHAHA-Whoa!" Zoro toppled out of the crows nest, landed on his back on the deck, and kept laughing. This only caused the crew to laugh harder.

"All right," Skie said, trying to flatten her hair down. "Where are we headed today?"

Sanji, holding his gut as he struggled to control his laughter, looked up at her. "We-we're docked at an island that's famous for one of the stores on it." he managed to say.

Skie tilted her head to one side. "What kinda store?"

"You'll see," Nami smiled at her and winked.

"Oh fine. Be like that."

Nami attempted to help Skie flatten her hair down to its regular self, but this proved to be an impossible feat, and Skie ended up getting her hair braided into two braids that stuck out from the side of her head; pigtails.

"I look freaking ten years old." Skie complained.

"You look adorable!" Sanji squealed.

Zoro just smiled at her.

Luffy and Usopp were busy laughing (again).

Nami just told her that she looked cool (because she herself was the one who gave her the pigtails, of course).

They had already docked onto the island with the mysterious famous store, and hopped off Merry onto the wooden planks. Snow didn't seem to be a factor here, as there was only a slight dusting here and there where the wind couldn't reach. The town was small, and wasn't exactly bustling with people. One or two passed them on the neat brick-paved road, but that was it.

"Where are we goin'?" Skie asked eagerly. "Tell me? Pleeease?"

"Now you're acting ten," Zoro pointed out.

"Shut up!" Skie huffed.

Zoro laughed in reply.

"You'll see! Sheesh, we're almost there!" Nami smiled.

Skie started bouncing three feet in the air instead of walking. People stared, but they were ignored.

And then, there it was. It loomed up in the shape of a huge fairytale castle. The huge stone bricks were a glittering blue color, and the draw bridge was open. There was a large, one world sign that told the world what this place was: TOYS.

Skie's eyes literally shone like diamonds. "TOYS?" she said, a wide grin spreading across her face. "AAAAGH!" And with that, she charged, disappearing into the store, Luffy and Usopp right behind her as both of them were just as excited to enter the store as she was.

Nami, Sanji and Zoro looked at each other. Oh boy, what had they done?

-

"Look at this!" Luffy called.

"Forget that, look at this thing!" Usopp answered.

"WHAAAA! OMIGOSH a dinosaur!" Skie shouted.

"Whaat?" Luffy appeared by her side as she pointed up at a huge slide that looked like a T-rex from the side. Luffy grinned and laughed, throwing his arm up to the top and rocketing himself up. "WAHAHAA!" he laughed as he slid down the metal slide and landed in a pool full of plastic balls at the end. He vanished under the colorful spheres. "…Help!" he called from somewhere under the surface.

Usopp was climbing up the slide now, grinning to himself.

Skie jumped up and landed on the slide's top, startling Usopp.

"GAH! Skie, that's cheating!" he complained.

"GERONIMO!" Skie called, and slid down the slide on her stomach. She landed in the pool in an explosion of color, and she too disappeared under the surface. "Hi Luffy!" she said.

"Which way is up?" he asked.

"Me next!" Usopp yelled down at them.

"Usopp!" Sanji called, "Where are Skie and Luffy?" Nami and Zoro entered the huge room. Wall to wall it was filled with toys, gadgets, and playground equipment of all sorts. The slide itself towered up to the ceiling, as did a Ferris wheel in the distance on the other side of the castle's inside. He whistled, impressed.

"In there!" Usopp said, pointing at the pool. And then he dropped onto the metal slide and zoomed down the chute. In an explosion of multi-colored plastic balls he had vanished too.

"…Guys?" Zoro called.

"Help!" the three of them called. "We're stuuuck!"

Sanji shook his head. "Here we come," he called, and jumped into the pool, Zoro following in a cannonball like fashion.

Nami giggled as she watched Skie, Luffy, and Usopp pull each other out of the pool quietly and sneak away, leaving Zoro and Sanji to swim around in the color-overloading pit. She jogged around the pool, following them. "Keep it up, boys!" she called over her shoulder.

"Aye-Aye, Nami-Swan!" came Sanji's voice.

"Look at this!" Skie said, pointing at a huge canon.

"Ooh!" Luffy and Usopp both said in awe.

"Get in," Nami said.

"WHA?" the trio stared at Nami with wide eyes.

"Don't worry, it's one of those canons that shoot people. See that net over there?" she asked, pointing at a net on the far side of the humongous room.

"It shoots way over there?" Luffy asked, eyes wide and sparkly.

"Yep!"

"I CALL FIRST!" Skie said.

"No way! Me first! I'm the Captain!" Luffy said.

As Skie and Usopp wrestled to get to be the first in the canon, Usopp sneakily climbed up the ladder and slid down into the canon.

"Ready, Usopp?" Nami called loudly, drawing Skie and Luffy's attention.

"Ready!" Usopp called.

"Hey!" Skie and Luffy both shouted, "No fair!"

Nami pulled a rope on the side of the canon, and one loud explosion later, Usopp was in the air.

"I CAN FLYYYY!" he called, spreading his arms open dramatically as he soared through the air. Little kids stared up at him with huge awe-filled eyes, exclaiming to their mothers that they wanted a flying Pinocchio.

"Was that Usopp?" Sanji asked.

"I don't think they're in here." replied Zoro.

"Figures." Sanji sighed and pulled himself out of the pool. He looked up and his jaw dropped as he saw Usopp soar overhead. "THE HELL?"

"What? Eh? Usopp?" Zoro pulled himself out of the pool too and looked up. "…" he looked back where Usopp had flown from, and saw Skie, Luffy and Nami standing by a canon. Skie and Luffy were fighting over something. "I see 'em."

"What?" Sanji turned to follow Zoro's gaze. "There they are!"

"Ditch us, eh?" Zoro said, striding towards them in huge strides.

"HA." Sanji laughed, falling into step next to the swordsman.

"Hey guys," Nami said.

"What?" Luffy and Skie demanded. Skie was yanking on Luffy's cheeks and Luffy had one of her pigtails in his hand.

"Here they come."

Luffy and Skie looked over their shoulders to see Sanji and Zoro, both pairs of eyes glowering at them.

Skie and Luffy looked at each other for a second, and then the both of them scrambled for the canon. "LET ME GO FIRST!" Skie shrieked.

"Captain's orders! Captain goes first!" Luffy said as he dropped into the canon. "FIRE!"

Nami pulled the rope and Luffy was flying.

"SEE YA!" Luffy grinned at an angry looking Zoro and Sanji.

"Why you…little MONKEY!" Sanji barked.

Sanji and Zoro looked from Luffy to Skie at the same time.

"Ulp." Skie gulped.

"Oh, Skie!" Sanji grinned at her. "I've got a 'Pretty Princess' makeup kit and I'm just dying to use it!"

"That's almost cruel," Zoro said, grinning. "I like that idea."

Skie paled. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, we would." answered Sanji and Zoro.

Skie blinked once, and was scrambling for the canon as the cook and the swordsman charged.

"Hurry up!" Nami called.

Skie jumped up to the canon's opening and fell in. "Go, Go, GO!" she shouted.

"Wait! Don't, Nami-Swan!" Sanji called.

Zoro jumped up to the canon and glared in, "Get out here, you!"

"HA!" Skie grinned, "Better move unless you want a headache!"

Nami grinned and pulled the rope.

"GAH!" Zoro ducked down just in time as Skie exploded out of the canon. "Dammit, Nami!" he barked.

Nami put on her best innocent face and Sanji almost fainted.

"ADIOS, SUCKEERS!" Skie called, turning in midair and saluting.

"We'll get you!" Sanji yelled, waving the Pretty Princess makeup kit over his head.

Skie stuck out her tongue and turned back around. She landed in the huge net and bounced off of it, landing in a huge pile of blue cushions. "I could fall asleep here," she said.

"I know, it's comfy!" Luffy grinned. He was sprawled out next to her.

"I think I will take a little nap!" Usopp said happily from his spot next to Luffy.

"Hey, you're right! It is quite comfy! Wouldn't you agree, Zoro?" Sanji asked. He was laying next to Usopp.

"It is," Zoro agreed from his spot next to Skie, his arms crossed under his head.

The trio's eyes widened and they looked at whoever was closest.

Skie looked at Zoro.

He grinned like a shark.

"RETREAT!" Skie yelled, jumping to her feet and jumping up in the air as Zoro snatched at her. "Run for it, boys!"

"AAAAGH!" Usopp and Luffy scrambled to their feet and attempted to run through the horribly-hard-to-run-through cushions.

Skie reached the edge of the cushions first. "C'mon!" she called.

"We're coming!" they called.

"AAGH!" Usopp screamed as Zoro and Sanji grabbed him. "THEY'VE GOT ME!"

"Usopp!" Skie and Luffy cried.

"Go on without me! Save yourseeelves!" Usopp shouted.

Skie and Luffy's eyes welled up, "Usopp…!"

Zoro and Sanji grinned up at them as they opened up the Pretty Princess makeup case with a 'click'. "YOU'RE NEXT!" they roared.

"AAAGH!" Luffy and Skie ran as Usopp was turned into a Pretty Princess, Zoro and Sanji laughing like maniacs.

-

They were currently hiding in a giant plastic gingerbread castle. Skie was looking through a small window in a tower, and Luffy kept all the little kids out by keeping his back pressed against the plastic drawbridge.

"Do ya see them?" he asked.

"Negative, Captain." Skie answered. "I don't see Usopp either."

"Poor Usopp." Luffy said. And they both hung their heads in a moment of silence.

"Oh Skiiie! Luffyyyyy!" called Zoro's voice.

Skie ducked down from the window with a small 'eep!' and Luffy tensed.

"You should see Usopp! He could win a beauty pageant with all the sparkly makeup he has on now," Sanji laughed. "There's the eyeliner, and the mascara, and the glitter, and don't forget the blush!"

Skie and Luffy gulped.

The chef and swordsman walked away, their creepy voices drifting with them.

Luffy and Skie stayed silent until they were sure the two were gone. "Phew," they sighed. "That was close."

"Hey guys," Nami smiled at them.

"GAH! NAMI!" they shouted, staring at her. She was looking down at them from over the castle's wall. "How'd you know we were here?"

Nami winked. "I'm magical."

"I see." Luffy nodded, as if that explained everything.

"And hurry up," Nami said, "Because they're coming back." and with that she vanished.

"Oh snap, hide!" Skie said, and she and Luffy headed for the small back door. Suddenly, the plastic drawbridge opened and Sanji appeared.

"AHA! Gotcha!" he grinned and dove for them.

Skie jumped through the tiny kid-sized opening and Luffy followed, both of them barely squeezing through the door. Sanji lodged himself halfway through the door and looked up at them, flailing. "Get me outta here!"

"Hah!" Skie grinned and pulled a black permanent marker out of her pocket.

"You carry one of those around with you?" Luffy asked.

"But of course!" Skie grinned.

"No you don't! Don't you dare!" Sanji said. Too bad for him his arms were pinned to his sides.

Skie grinned evilly. "Heee…" she giggled and drew a curly French mustache that would rival his eyebrows under his nose. "Send my regards to the swordsman!" Skie said dramatically as she scribbled something on his head, and then clicked the cap back on the marker and put it in her pocket. "Adios, Sanji!" she winked and Luffy and her ran deeper into the store, laughing.

"Did you find them? …The hell are you doing?" Zoro asked as he walked into the small castle.

"Shut up and get me out!" Sanji roared.

Zoro grabbed one of Sanji's ankles and pulled him out. He started laughing at Sanji's mustache. Then he noticed something else scrawled across his forehead above his visible eye.

ZORO IS A BOOGER BRAIN -luv Skie

Zoro's eyes twitched.

-

Skie and Usopp were standing in line for the Ferris wheel when they found Usopp, tied to a rack of hangers by a Pretty Princess dress-up area. He had one of the larger, purple dresses pulled over his outfit, makeup plastered his face, and a Pretty Princess tiara was placed on his head.

"Usopp!" Skie said. "Save our place, Luffy." she told Luffy before she ran out of the line and stopped in front of the marksman. "Hey there, Princess."

"Shut up and get me down!" Usopp said.

"Righto," Skie untied him and he pulled the dress off from over his head, wiping most of the makeup off on the dress. Skie helped him scrub off the rest of the make up (also using the purple dress) before she folded it up and shoved it between two other dresses. "You should take off that tiara." she said.

Usopp nodded and pulled it off before the two of them ran back to Luffy in line, who just happened to be about to board the Ferris wheel.

"I was afraid you guy's be too late. Took you long enough." Luffy grined at them. "Let's go!"

They boarded the Ferris wheel, and grinned as it took them up high in the air. It stopped every now and then, to give them a view of the huge toy store amusement park combo. Skie laughed and pointed at Zoro, whom she recognized because of his green hair (of course) as he freaked out over the missing Usopp.

"No one can hold Captain Usopp hostage for long!" Usopp said.

"I'm Captain. You're sharpshooter." Luffy huffed.

"Guys, guys watch this." Skie said. She made a sound in her mouth and let a glob of spit drop…

…Right on Sanji's head.

He jumped and slapped a hand on his hair before looking at it. "Gah!" they heard him shout.

"Quick! Quick, pull back!" Skie giggled and the three of them ducked back into the carriage before they could be spotted. They laughed to themselves for a minute, and Skie slowly peeked over the edge again. She saw Zoro and Sanji staring up at them.

She pulled back, face pale.

"What?" Luffy and Usopp asked.

"They saw us."

The two boys paled. "Uh-oh."

The Ferris wheel lurched into movement again. Oh well, at least they were safe up here, right? This fact comforted them a bit.

They rose to the top before the wheel stopped again, giving them the perfect view.

"This is cool!" Luffy pointed out, grinning widely.

"Uh…guys…" Usopp said slowly.

"What's up?" Skie asked.

"They're not there anymore."

"WHAT?" Skie and Luffy joined Usopp in looking over the edge of the carriage. No green-haired blob, and no well-dressed Chef.

"Oh crap. Dumb and Dumber are gone!" Skie said.

Usopp and Luffy laughed at the names.

"What did you call us?"

The laughter stopped.

The trio turned and looked up, seeing an angry looking Zoro and Sanji sitting casually in the rafters twenty feet above their heads. They had a couple Pretty Princess makeup kits in their arms, and what looked like dresses still on their hangers too. Zoro was the first to grin. "Gotcha."

And then the two boys dropped into the carriage.

-

Kids down below pointed up at the tippity-top of the Ferris wheel at the carriage that was positioned closest to the ceiling. It was rocking back and forth violently, and muffled shouts could be heard coming form it.

"AAAGH!"

"HELP! HE'S CRAZY!"

"DON'T YOU DARE! I'M ALLERGIC TO PINK!"

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAA!"

"Mommy, I don't wanna go on anymore." said a little boy.

The boy's mom blinked, nodded, and took him over to the Lego section.

-

"Have fun?" Nami asked.

"At first, yeah." Skie huffed.

Zoro grinned and put an arm around her shoulders, "Admit it, you like looking like a Purdy Wittle Princess." he cooed, laughing.

"Shut up!" Skie huffed. She was wearing a pink puffy dress that had frills absolutely everywhere. Her face was adorned in makeup that could rival Barbie's, and she even had a sparkly diamond tiara on her head.

Luffy and Usopp didn't look much different, except Luffy's dress was blue, and Usopp was in purple again.

And, of course, Nami had gotten pictures _galore_.

"I'm ignoring you for the rest of the day," Skie harrumphed, crossing her arms and glaring away from Zoro.

Zoro grinned, "Oh, like you didn't deserve this!"

"The marker won't come off." Sanji said.

"And I've got a glob of spit in my hair still."

"And I look like Cinderella! 'Cept in pink!" Skie whined. "I haaate pink."

"I'll get you a purple one next time." Zoro laughed and got a punch in the arm.

"You look adorable, Skie, don't worry!" Sanji laughed and dodged a punch.

"I'ma getchu!" Skie said. "Men!" she wiggled free from under Zoro's arm stopped, planting her feet to the ground, and Luffy and Usopp halted too.

Zoro and Sanji raised an eyebrow.

Nami got her camera ready.

"On my count." Skie said.

Luffy and Usopp nodded, and pulled out 'DELUXE Pretty Princess' Make up kits.

"…!" Zoro and Sanji took a small step back.

"Three!"

Chef and Swordsman both turned tail and ran like their life depended on it.

"ONE! GET 'EM!"

Luffy, Skie and Usopp charged, makeup kits in hand.

And Nami followed after them, camera going crazy.

* * *

I want to go to a toy store like that!

**Rootbeer** and **Rock**!


	48. Tag! You're out! :NINE DAYS:

**Chapter 48**

Updateed! 8D Let's all do the Happy Feet dance! -_tappity-tap_-

* * *

"Rain?" Nami sighed and looked out one of the small windows in the kitchen as the rest of the crew chowed down on oatmeal and waffles. "I hate February thaw. It'll all turn to ice soon."

"'En 'an ee go ating?" Skie asked, mouth full of waffle.

"What?"

"She said 'then can we go skating'." Zoro said.

Skie nodded, swallowing the waffle before grinning. "Let's go ice skating!"

"It'll have to freeze over first. But sure. Why not?" Nami smiled.

"Yay!" Skie cheered.

"I've never been ice skating before." Luffy said.

"I have! I was a champion of it in my hometown!" Usopp said.

"Uh-huh." everyone said flatly.

"H-hey! Don't judge!" Usopp whined.

"So, since today's raining and there'll be no skating today…" Sanji started. "What's the plan?"

"Definitely not anything outdoorsy…" Nami murmured unhappily.

"Monopoly?" Usopp suggested.

"Eh…maybe." Skie shrugged.

"Tag?" Luffy's eyes widened. "I love tag!"

"I do too!" Skie grinned.

Nami, Zoro, and Sanji groaned. Aw no.

"But," Skie added, "Since it's raining and stuff, and normal tag is outdoorsy, let's play hide and seek tag!"

"What's that?" Usopp asked.

"In the beginning, it's like hide and seek. You hide, and the person who's it has to find you. When he does, though, you have to run! And if he catches you, you're out of the game." Skie grinned. "The person who gets found last wins."

"All right, I'm in." Sanji said. "How do we decide who's it?"

"I can't believe we're actually going to play tag…" Zoro grumbled.

"Uhm…" Luffy rubbed his chin, and then pointed at Skie. "How about since you came up with the idea, you're it."

"Hah!" Zoro grinned. "Skie's it."

"Hey, I like being it." Skie huffed. But the snippiness in her voice made it obvious that she'd rather be hiding. "All right, I'll count to…thirty. Anywhere on the ship is fine as long as it's not outside."

"Right." The crew nodded.

Skie whirled around, and marched to a corner of the kitchen and shut her eyes. "ONE."

The crew scampered away, grinning, and burst through the door into the outside rain before leaping into whichever room they were going to hide in.

After hearing the door swing shut behind them, Skie pushed herself away from the wall and strode cheerfully to the fridge. "Two…" she opened the door to the freezer side and pulled out a large container of chocolate ice cream Sanji made. "Three…" She put the container on the counter and pulled out a bowl and a spoon. "Four…" she filled the bowl so it was almost overflowing before she put the nearly-empty ice cream box away. "Five…"

With a little bounce she hopped to the table and started eating the ice cream, counting off one number between huge, sloppy bites. "Six…_nom nom_….Seven…_nom rawrf_…Eight…"

She reached twelve and the ice cream was gone. She sashayed over to the sink, "Thirteen…" and washed the bowl and spoon before putting them away. "Fourteen…"

No evidence! Haha! Except for the almost-gone ice cream, that was...

"Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen," she counted a bit faster now, eager to actually play the game. "Eighteen, nineteen, twenty." She paced across the room, looking up at the ceiling. "Twenty one, twenty two, twenty three, twenty four." Gah! This was why she hated being it! Stupid counting.

"Twenty five, twenty six… TwentyseventwentyeighttwentyninethirtyDONE!" She opened the door and scrambled towards Nami's room first, eager to get out of the pouring rain. "Rain, rain, go away," she mumbled to herself before she opened the door and stepped inside. She closed it behind her.

It was silent…

A bit…_too_…silent…

A grin spread across her face as she scanned Nami's well decorated room. She slid quietly over to the bar in one corner and peeked over the edge. Nope, no one hiding there. Hmph.

She hopped over to the couch and looked behind that. Nothing there either.

_Clunk _

Skie spun around. She'd heard something behind her. With narrowed eyes she looked around.

Nothing.

_Clank _

She spun around again. She'd heard something else behind her, and again she didn't see anything!

She knew this trick! She'd played it several times. The person who's it would be in the same room as the person who's hiding. The person who's hiding would throw something across the room, where the person who was it couldn't see it, and then giggle silently to themselves when the person who was it searched in the wrong place.

The _fiend_!

_Clank rrrrrr _

She looked to her left, and saw a small silver marble rolling across the wooden floor. "Ah!" She picked it up and recognized it a moment later. She grinned triumphantly, as she knew who was in here. "Usopp."

_Clank Clank Clunk Clank _

There was noise everywhere! Skie looked left and right, but saw nothing. "Rrrg! Come out, chicken!" she barked.

"Chicken? Eeep!"

Skie blinked.

Oh.

She looked up, and saw Usopp wrapped around the ceiling fan, two hands clapped over his mouth.

"Gotcha!" Skie grinned and jumped up, swiping at Usopp. He yelped and dodged before falling off the ceiling fan. Scrambling to his feet he bolted for a small trap door on the wall. It was an emergency exit from Nami's room to the Men's quarters, and vise versa.

"AAAAGH!" Usopp threw it open and flew through Superman style. He rolled to a dramatic stop and even struck a pose. "Ha!"

"Ha this!" Skie climbed through the door and jumped from the wall, tackling him before he could get out of his Sailor Moon style pose. "Usopp's out! Hahaa!" Skie said triumphantly.

"I let you catch me." Usopp grumbled.

They stood up, brushing themselves off nonchalantly. Skie pointed to the trap door, smug grin spread across her face. "March." she said.

Usopp, head hung low, marched slowly to the trap door, climbed up, and left the door open so the rain dropped in. "CLOSE THE DOOR!" Skie yelled, running over to the ladder and clambering up. She reached out a hand and slammed the door shut over her.

Usopp giggled from up on deck.

"I'll get you for that!" she shouted. Feh, now her hair was wet.

_Bing!_ Idea!

"My hair's all wet. I wish I had a towel or something…" she said softly, using a tone that would imply she was about to burst into dramatic tears.

"I'll get you one, Skie-Chaaan!" Sanji popped out from behind one of the couches. He twirled towards her until he was a foot away and froze, finally understanding his mistake. A malevolent grin spread across the young girl's face and he paled.

"Tag!" Skie reached out to grab him and he spun out of the way.

"You tricked me!" he whined. "But you do need a towel. You're dripping on the floor."

Skie jumped at him and he dodged out of the way again.

_Jump, dodge. _

_  
Jump, dodge. _

_  
Jump, dodge. _

"Hold still." Skie huffed.

"Naw, I'm fine." He grinned.

"Go Sanji!"

Sanji and Skie turned to see Luffy cheering from behind a different couch. He was leaning halfway over it, propping himself up with one elbow, and one arm was in the air.

" Moron." Sanji sighed. 

"Zoro, who do you think'll win?" Luffy asked, looking down at the floor behind the couch.

Skie and Sanji both snorted, grinning.

"Chhsh! Luffy!" Zoro's voice whispered. "Shut up!"

Luffy frowned, "C'mon Zoro, who do you think'll win?"

"There's no winning, moron. She's just trying to catch him!" Zoro growled.

Luffy blinked, and realization dawned across his face. "Oh."

"Gotcha." Skie tugged Sanji's arm while he was distracted with Luffy and Zoro. "You're ooout!" she said cheerfully.

"Th-that's cheating!" Sanji said. "I was looking at them!" He pointed a finger at Luffy. Luffy waved.

"Still caught ya! Now, march." She pointed up at the trap door, and Sanji stormed outside, muttering under his breath.

"…" Skie turned to Luffy, and Luffy grinned back.

"Hi-yaaa!" Skie jumped through the air at Luffy.

"Wah!" Luffy ducked down and Skie hit the wall behind the couch.

"Ow." She peeled off and landed on her back. "Oof."

"Hahaa!" Luffy grinned, "That was funny."

"Your face!" Skie harrumphed. She rolled over, stood up, and faced him. Zoro was gone, and Luffy was on the other side of the couch. Skie raised an eyebrow and darted around the couch, but Luffy ran too, keeping the couch between them.

Skie ran around the couch, and Luffy followed suit.

She went left, he went left. She went right, he went right.

"Will you quit it?" Skie sighed

"Nooope." Luffy grinned. "I'd woulda caught you by now if I was it." Luffy pointed out.

"Nu-uh!"

"Yeah I woulda!" Luffy's grin widened.

"Luffy! What is that?!" Skie's eyes widened and she pointed frantically behind him.

"I'm not gonna fall for that!" Luffy laughed.

"All right!" Skie shrugged, "But you're gonna miss it!"

"…Miss what?" Luffy said, keeping his eyes locked on Skie.

"The…uh…crouching tiger and the hidden dragon."

"What?! COOL!" Luffy spun around, only to see the normality of the men's quarters. "…?" he tilted his head to the side. "I don't see them. Agh!" He flinched as Skie poked him in the back.

"Gotcha!"

"You tricked me!" he whined.

"Still gotcha. That was _easy_. I coulda caught you faster, but I was being nice."

Luffy frowned. "Hmph."

Skie was the first to reach the trap door, as Luffy was sulking, and she scrambled out onto the deck. It'd stopped pouring rain, and it was now more foggy than anything. She smiled and pulled herself up. She grinned at Sanji and Usopp, who were sulking by the mast, arms crossed.

"Hey guys." She grinned.

"Mmf." they replied.

"So, where's Zoro?"

The two boys shrugged.

"That's fine. I don't need your help! I'm super special awesome at tag!"

"Only 'cuz you tricked me." Sanji said.

"Yeah, but I caught Usopp fair and square. I even had to dive through the trap door. Did you see it? It was cool."

"My dive was cooler. I even posed!" Usopp struck his pose again.

Skie headed to the door to her room and headed inside. She jumped down the stairs loudly, alerting anyone who might be hiding in there that she was there. "Hay!" she called, "I'm gonna find yoou!" She leapt across half the room and halted in front of the bed. She checked under it.

Nothing.

She looked around. There really wasn't much to hide behind or under other than the bed.

"Hmmm…" She crossed her arms and let her eyes scan across the room. The desk didn't hide anyone underneath it, she could see that. The bookshelf wasn't moved another foot away from the wall to make room to hide behind that. And the-

She looked up.

And there was Zoro, clinging to one of the thin rafters.

"Ha!"

"Why would you look up? Who hides in ceilings?!" Zoro demanded, obviously not liking the fact that he'd been found.

"Usopp did the same thing. And look at you!"

"…" Zoro harrumphed. "You're still not gonna catch me."

"Wanna bet, Moss-Head?"

"Don't call me that."

"TAG!" Skie jumped up and swiped at him, and Zoro rolled over so he was hanging upside down from the rafter.

"Jeez! I forgot you could do that for a second."

Skie landed back on the ground with a bounce. "How do you forget something like that?"

"Um…I dunno."

"You sleep too much."

"What's that got to do with anyth-Wah!" He dodged another grab for his arm as Skie leapt in the air again. "Let me finish my sentences at least!"

"Quit moving."

"No way! I'm not going to lose in a game of tag!"

Skie hopped a couple steps towards the door and stopped.

"?" Zoro blinked. "You think you could actually stop me from getting passed you?" He grinned, "Hah!"

"Nooope."

"Eh? Then what're you-" Zoro shut his mouth and concentrated on dodging Skie as she rocketed off the floor at him like a bullet. "Whoa!" He let himself drop to the floor and saw Skie zip through the space he'd just been.

She turned around in midair and hit the wall with her feet. A grin spread across her face and Zoro's eyes widened. He scrambled to his feet and was only barely able to dodge another tackle as she careened off the wall. "You psycho!" he barked.

Skie hit the ground on her feet, but tripped and rolled three times before she slid to a stop in a sitting position. "Whaaa…" she said, and shook her head to get rid of the dizziness. "You're fast."

"Duh!"

"Hey now. That was a compliment."

"Well you're still a psycho."

"I know!" Skie said cheerfully.

"And creepy."

"So you've got a crush on a creepy person, eh?"

Zoro blinked. It took a moment for his cherry-red blush to appear. "Shut up, I do not."

"Says the guy who forced me to take him to dinner."

"I'm not gonna drop my guard so you can catch me. I know that's what you're doin'." He crossed his arms, looking like the very essence of a stubborn little kid.

"Well, yeah. And you're cute when you blush. Did you know that?" Skie laughed when his face got even darker.

"Shut up! No distracting me! I'm going to win this stupid game."

"I still haven't found Nami yet. What if she wins?"

Zoro scoffed. "I'm winning. So there."

"'So there'? What are you, five?"

"No!"

"Aww! Look at the itty bitty wittew Zowo! He's so ca-yuuute!"

One of Zoro's eyes twitched.

"He's so a-do-ra-bllle! Him and his fluffy wuffy green haaair!"

A vain popped out of Zoro's head. "Sh-shut up! Don't talk to me like I'm some damn little puppy!"

"Uh-oh! Zowo sweared! He's gonna hafta get a time out now!"

"Skie, I swear I'm gonna kill you."

"That's no way to talk to a girl! You need a time out, right now, young man!"

"I'm older than you!"

"Don't you raise your voice at me."

"AAAAAGH! You are SO annoying!"

Skie grinned.

"Wipe that grin off your face!"

Skie's grin widened.

Zoro's eye twitched again. He slapped a hand on his forehead and shut his eyes tight. "You're gonna be the death of me, did you know that? OOF!" The wind was knocked out of him as Skie tackled him. He hit the floor and Skie flipped up, landing on her feet and doing the Ash Ketchum Peace-Sign pose to no one in particular.

"Gotcha."

"THAT DOESN'T COUNT! I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION!" Zoro roared.

"That's your fault."

"RAAAAH!" Zoro flailed around on the ground, throwing a grade-A tantrum, and Skie cheerfully bounced up the stairs one by one.

She closed the door behind her as she stepped out on deck, but Zoro's tantruming could still be heard from all over the ship.

"What'd you do to him?" Sanji asked, his eyes wide. Luffy and Usopp looked at her too.

"I Caught him." Skie grinned. "He's throwing a tantrum."

"Little brat." Sanji said.

Usopp and Luffy laughed.

"So I'm all that's left? Okay, I win then." Nami was standing in front of the kitchen door, leaning on the rail.

"Neh? Where were you?" Skie asked.

"The kitchen." Nami said, a sly smile spreading across her face.

"R-really?" Skie paled. "Um…For how long?"

"Since the beginning. I hid under the table when everyone else scurried outside. You didn't even notice me." Her eyes flashed. "And you owe me big if you don't want me tattling."

"Okay, okay!" Skie said. She really didn't want to get grounded for any amount of time on her last days alive because she ate most of the ship's ice cream supply.

"Tattling? What'd you do?" Sanji asked, narrowing his eyes at the young girl.

"Nooothin'. Right Nami?"

"Right! Nothing." Nami smiled.

Sanji didn't seem convinced. But he didn't argue against Nami's word.

"So, Nami wins!" Luffy chirped.

"I WON!" Zoro roared from inside Skie's room. "I WON FAIR AND SQUARE! AND YOU ALL _KNOW_ IT!"

"Sorry, Zoro, but Nami beatchya!" Skie said cheerfully.

"AAARGHFFFAAAA!" Zoro roared, followed by more Zoro tantruming noises.

"So, uh, Nami." Skie started. "Do I have to pay you back in bellis, then?"

"Not bellis. I just want a picture of something." Nami grinned.

"Of what?"

"Of you and a certain green haired moron."

"WHY?" Skie demanded.

"Because you two are cute."

"That's not a good reason!"

"Sure it is!"

"NO IT'S NOT!" And then Skie started tantruming too, her shrieks and yells blending with Zoro's.

"Awww!" Nami cooed.

"Bleh." Sanji said.

"I'm hungry." Luffy looked up at Sanji.

"Good for you." replied the chef.

"Nami," Usopp said, "I coulda won, but I let Skie catch me. So I, Usopp the Infamous, am the real victor here!" And then Usopp was able to strike a pose for a couple seconds before Nami stormed down the stairs and smacked him over the head.

* * *

I _love_ hide and seek tag. One of my favorite games ever.

_End of Day Nine_

**Rootbeer** and **Rock**!


	49. Talking to Squirrels :EIGHT DAYS:

I updated! xD Enjoy this weird chapter. I bet you'll never guess what happens xD

Eight days left!

* * *

"What a nice day!" Nami sighed. It was warming up a bit. The sun was out, the snow and ice were completely evaporated off the ship, and the water was calm and turquoise blue. "I'm absolutely positive, Skie, that nothing'll unexpectedly happen and go wrong." Nami smiled.

"Oh. Great." Skie said from her spot by the ship's side next to the Merry's navigator. "Now we're jinxed."

**_BAM_**

As if on que, the ship suddenly lurched upwards, as something monstrous slammed into the bottom of the beloved Going Merry.

"What was that?!" came Luffy's voice from in the kitchen.

"Luffy!" Sanji's voice roared, "You were hiding behind the fridge?! Get out! Out, out, out!"

Luffy tore out of the kitchen door and jumped the railing, landing by the mast. He skid to a stop next to Nami and Skie. "Hey guys," he grinned at them, "So, what was that?"

"I don't know!" Nami said, looking over the ship's side into the water.

"Nami-san! Don't get too close to the water!" Sanji yelled, "It might eat you!"

"What might eat me?" Nami turned to look at the Chef as he bounded over.

"I dunno," he said, "Whatever hit the ship."

"What if it's a whale?" Skie enquired.

"Are whales yummy?" Luffy's eyes lit up.

Skie shouted 'No!' and Sanji said 'Yep,' at the same time. Skie glared at the sheepish looking chef.

"Oi, oi, oi!" Zoro's arm appeared over the side of the crows nest. "What the hell was that?"

"No idea," everyone answered, including Usopp who had popped out of men's room trapdoor like a prairie dog.

The ship suddenly lurched again, this time from side to side.

"Something's got the boat!" Nami yelled, holding onto the railing for dear life as the ship was rocked to-and-fro.

"Hold onto something!" Zoro yelled as he gripped the edge of the crows nest, keeping an eye on the two Devil Fruit eaters in case one of them toppled over the edge and fell into the water. But this wasn't likely, as Luffy and Skie had both fallen on their backs on the deck.

Suddenly, the motion stopped, and the ship grew perfectly still. Not a single sound was heard save the soft noise of the water.

"I hate this. Something's gonna pop out and eat us or something." Skie said.

"Not if I eat it first." their Captain grinned.

"Luffy, that's gross."

A deafening noise erupted from the side of the ship, and a huge pillar of water shot upwards. The water fell away and revealred a-

"YOU!" Skie yelled, eyes wide as she scrambled to the other side of the ship, "The waterfall bug!"

Yes, indeed. It was the giant praying mantis centipede bug that the crew had encountered many moths before at the base of a waterfall. The same waterfall where Skie and Luffy had found the bug's 'night light', which had happened to be the Devil Fruit which gave Skie her jumping powers.

"Yes! It is me!" the giant bug roared triumphantly. "Back for some proper revenge!"

"You already got that!" Nami yelled, "You freaking threw up on everyone!"

"Everyone except her," the bug huffed and glared at Skie, "Who happens to be the one of you I dislike most."

"So throw up on her and go away." Nami said, putting her hands on her hips and glaring up at the bug.

"WHAT?" Skie shrieked.

"That doesn't seem very…well…evil. It's not evil enough."

"YES IT IS!" Skie shouted, her voice much higher than it usually was.

"Well, actually, I had quite an evil plan. Would you like to hear it?" The bug grinned down at them, and thousands of needle-sharp teeth glinted in the sunlight.

Usopp and Skie gulped loudly.

"Go ahead. But then go away." said Nami.

"Well, I got this cool power, you see. I can't tell you what it is, 'cuz that'll ruin the surprise. But it'll cut your attack power in…half…" the word 'half' seemed to amuse the bug greatly, as it burst out laughing. A few moments later, it regained its composure. "Okay, so ounce I'd have used my powers, I would have eaten you. Simple, right?"

The crew was silent. two out of six were more silent out of fear than waiting to see if the stupid bug was finished talking.

"You done? Can you go now?" Zoro droned at it unenthusiastically.

"Of course. Right. I said I would, didn't I?" the bug nodded. "Okay. BUT FIRST! IT'S PLAN TIME!" and the bugs jaws opened wide.

"Oh snap." Skie said.

The bug seemed to take in a huge breath of air, and before anyone could do anything, a ray of light shot out of its jaws and enveloped Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Luffy and Skie completely, and their shouts of surprise were cut off.

Zoro's eyes widened. He ground his teeth together and leapt out of the crows nest, "Dumbass bug," he said as he soared at it, "HRAH!" And with one single kick to the chin after the bug closed its jaws, it flew off into the horizon, disappearing into the distance with a little 'ding' and a sparkle Team Rocket style.

Zoro landed on the deck with a solid 'thump' and watched the water for a moment, making sure the bug wasn't coming back.

"Zoro?" an somewhat familiar voice called, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up straight. "Zoro, how this never happens to you? It's not fair."

Roronoa Zoro turned around and saw five squirrels on the deck.

"You're kidding. Tell me you're freaking kidding, and tell me right now, or I swear to whoever the hell is listening I will jump off of this ship right now."

"Zoro." said a squirrel smaller than the rest in a voice that sounded like Skie's only more high pitched, as if she had inhaled helium. "Zoro, I'm a squirrel. Look at my tail!" she squealed, grabbing hold of the giant fluffy bristle and hugging it.

"Aw no. No. No, no, no, no, no. Not squirrels." Zoro sunk to the deck in a sitting position. "Not squirrels."

The others were busy chatting in frantic, high-pitched squirrel talk as Skie hopped over to the sulking swordsman. She hopped onto his knee and grinned a large-toothed grin at him. "You know what's weird?" she asked.

"What?" Zoro grumbled, his head in his hands.

"I'm craving acorns. I'm craving them really, really bad. And I don't even know what an acorn tastes like."

"Oh, jeez." Zoro shook his head.

"Go get us some acorns. We all want some. And some cookies."

-

And so, at the next island, which was really very close to the ship's location, the mighty Roronoa Zoro marched grouchily down the road with four squirrels on his shoulders, and one on his head, pulling at the green strands.

"You're hair's a really pretty color," Skie commented from her spot, "I just noticed. From a distance it really does look like moss, though."

"Aw jeez, thanks." Zoro mumbled, trying to look as intimidating as ever to try and mask the fact that there were five rodents on him. He marched into a grocery store and glared at the clerk, just daring the poor guy to make a comment about the squirrels. "I need some acorns." he growled.

Skie pulled a strand of hair out of his head.

"And cookies." Zoro added.

"Uh…we've got cookies…but…um, sir we don't sell acorns, and those won't even be growing in at least a month or two." the clerk said.

"Great. Hear that? No acorns." Zoro turned to look at Sanji and Nami, were were standing comfortably on his left shoulder.

"Cookies, then." Nami told him.

"H-Holy…!" the clerk's eyes widened. "Did that squirrel just-"

"Yes. Now get me some stupid cookies or I'll have them eat your face."

"Y-yes sir!" The clerk scrambled around, falling over once, and came back with an armfull of boxes. "Free of charge! Just take them!"

"Thanks." Zoro grabbed the boxes and trudged out of the store.

"Zoro! You didn't have to be such a jerk!" Nami said.

"I think that guy wet himself." Usopp said.

"I thought it was pretty funny," Luffy grinned, and Skie laughed.

-

Back at the ship, the boxes were open and strewn out across the deck, and not a single crumb of cookie was left.

"You guys sure ate those fast. Skie, swallow. You look ridiculous."

"No fay! I afays fanted to do fis!" Skie said, her cheeks full to bursting with cookie. "I'm sho cool."

Zoro blinked. "Right."

"Hey! Hey Zoro! Build us a box castle!" Luffy said, popping out of a little hand-hold in one of the boxes. "Make one, make one!"

"I'm not building a freaking castle out of freaking boxes for a bunch of freaking squirrels." Zoro huffed.

"Pfeeeeeshe?" Skie asked, her eyes large and sparkling.

Zoro sighed heavily. "All right, fine." He stood up from his glaring corner by the stairs and dropped to his knees by the box pile. "Out of there, anyone, or I'll shake you out."

Nami, Sanji, and Usopp came scampering out of the boxes, and Zoro started stacking them on top of each other, cutting little holes in some for tunnels, and windows while Skie directed and told him what to do from the top of his head. A few minutes later, the 'box castle' was completed. Not a very impressive structure, but the squirrelified crew thought it was great.

"I call the top box!" Skie said, scurrying down Zoro's arm and inside the 'front door' box, scrambling upwards with her little claws until she reached the top box. She poked her head out of one of the little windows and grinned at Zoro. "This is cool."

Zoro poked her head, "Glad you swallowed that cookie. You looked funny."

"Pshaw. You're just upset 'cuz you look like that all the time."

"NEH?" Zoro growled, but Skie had already disappeared back into the box, laughing. "No, get out here! I'm not gonna let a freaking squirrel say that to me!" Zoro stuck his arm into the window after her, "Get out here now! I'll dye your fur orange!"

"There's nothing' wrong with orange!" Nami called from a different box.

"Shut up." Zoro grumbled.

"You shut up!" Sanji said, sounding particularly hilarious with his high pitched voice.

"Pfft." was Zoro's reply. He grouchily pulled his arm out of the box. Skie was in a different 'room'. "Little monster. I buy you cookies and you insult me."

"You insulted me first," came Skie's voice.

"Yeah, cuz you looked funny!"

"Your face."

Zoro put his head in his hands. "I'm talking to a squirrel." he muttered.

"Yeah," Skie said, "That's kind of weird."

* * *

Sorry it's so short!

Weird, huh? I'm on the biggest writers block of all time. I don't know what to have Skie and the crew do! I know one thing is gonna be ice skating, but I don't know how to do that. Any ideas? Put 'em in your reviews xD Whether they're events or places for them to go, _I need ideas._

I got this one after seeing the cutest squirrel on the face of the planet today. And I thought, 'wouldn't it be cool if the if the crew were squirrels?' And of course, Zoro's gotta be the responsible one xD

**ROOTBEER AND ROCK**!


	50. Madam Lamina is Mysterious :EIGHT DAYS:

**Chapter Fifty!**

I actually promised I'd get this chapter in on the 19th, but my little sister's cat came home that day (he'd been missing for a couple days) and I was delayed. And then I forgot all about this on the 20th until about 11 at night, so I speed typed the rest of the chapter up, and edited as quickly as I could, all in the hopes of posting it before midnight. But, to no avail. And in fact, it is 1 AM as I post this. I take forever editing, I guess. And I'd like to thank Dark Thorned Rose for this chapter idea. It was awesome! Thank you!

Well, enjoy!

* * *

Later during the day, the crew had yet to unsquirrelfy themselves.

And that meant, of course, that Zoro was one unhappy camper (or squirrel-sitter, if you want to get technical). He sat grouchily by the stairs on deck as Luffy and Usopp played a game of tag. They were both fascinated with how everything looked so gigantic from their tiny state. Sanji and Nami were perched up on the railing by the stairs, Sanji bragging about how he could still take on Zoro even in his current form.

And Skie, being her irritating self, was atop Zoro's green head, pulling out the strands that were longer than the others, causing him to visibly flinch every now and then.

"Will you _stop_ that?" he demanded, glaring upwards at his forehead.

"Nope. I never realized how uneven your haircut was. You should sue."

"I cut it myself."

"That's hilarious."

_Yoink_

"Gah! That _hurts_, you little rodent!" Zoro barked, slapping a hand over his head to rub the tender spot, almost swatting Skie to the ground. She scooted to the side of his head and waited for his hand to recede. When it didn't, and Zoro just kept his hand placed protectively over his head, she hopped down onto his shoulder.

"Guess what," she started.

"I'm trying to hold back my excitement of whatever it is you're thinking." Zoro grumbled.

"Fine then. Hmph." She crossed her tiny squirrel arms and pouted, glaring at the stairs beside them with as much ferocity as Luffy would glare at an empty dinner plate.

Zoro heaved a sigh. "Okay, what? What is it? 'Guess what' what?"

Skie glanced at him from the corner of one of her big squirrely eyes.

Zoro stuck out his bottom lip in mock pouting.

Skie snorted out a laugh. "Pfft. Okay, fine," she grinned, "I think we should go exploring on the island!"

"That was what you were thinking about? Jeez."

"Can we? Can we please?"

"No. No way. What if some punk kid decides he thinks it's fun to throw rocks at squirrels?"

"Then you can beat him up for us." Skie said simply.

Zoro sighed. This was true.

"Fine. But not everyone. I do not want to babysit five squirrels, okay?"

"Aww! You're no fun! We can't leave someone behind! Think of how bored they'll get-"

"We'll stay behind," Nami cut in. She was clinging to the mast, seemingly with incredible ease, and she grinned down at them. "I'd rather stay here where it's safe than wander around town as a squirrel."

"And I, of course," Sanji said, appearing from the other side of the mast as he scuttled around it, "Shall stay behind and protect Nami-Swan from any invaders!"

"Yeah," Zoro said flatly. "You do that."

"Usopp! Luffy!" Skie called, jumping from Zoro's shoulder and onto the deck, "Guys! Guys, where are you?" As Skie leapt towards the other side of the ship, she glanced over her shoulder to see Zoro start to stand up and Sanji and Nami zoom around the mast as fast as they could, enjoying some unknown game. She circled to the back of the tangerine grove, curious as to where her friends could have disappeared too, when she heard what she thought was a voice.

She looked upwards, towards the tangerine trees, and grinned as she scratched her way to them up the wood. She found Usopp and Luffy sitting on a little branch deep inside one of the trees. Inside the little cavity inside the tree it was dark, only a few bars of sunshine breaking through the thick leaves. One bar, in particular, happened to be right on Luffy's face, so he was squinting his eyes as he bit into a tangerine.

"Nami's gonna get angry." Skie told them as she balanced herself on the branch.

"What Nami doesn't know," Usopp took a bite of his own little tangerine, "Won't hurt her."

"What did you say, Usopp?" came a dangerously low voice from outside of the tree, and the three squirrels froze, eyes wide in what could only be terror. There was a slight rustling of branches, and Nami appeared, shoving aside a large leaf. "GET OUT OF MY TANGERINE TREE!" she roared.

"AAAAAH!" the three culprits (well, two culprits and a somewhat innocent bystander) almost flew from the tree, Luffy shoving the entire tangerine in his mouth as they sprinted.

"GET BACK HERE WITH THAT TANGERINE!" Nami shouted after them. "GET BACK HERE NOW!"

"RUN, RUN, RUN!" Usopp shrieked shrilly.

The trio neared Zoro, who was waiting impatiently on the docks by the ship. They leapt into the air at the same time, hurtling towards the swordsman. Zoro glanced at them, and his jaw dropped as he watched in what he could have sworn was in slow motion, Skie, Usopp, and Luffy soaring at his face, little squirrel paws outstretched.

"AGH!"

The three squirrels landed on him, Skie on his shoulder, Usopp on his chest, and Luffy latching onto his face.

"RUN, ZORO!" Skie shrieked into his ear.

"Get off my face!" Zoro yanked Luffy off and glared at him in his hand. Luffy was staring wide-eyed at the ship, and Zoro glared at whatever had Luffy's attention, but Zoro's own eyes registered what might have been fear at the sight of a furious Nami-squirrel poised to pounce at the swordsman.

Without another word Zoro turned on his heel and sprinted full-tilt into the relative safety of the town.

-

Several minutes of terror-induced running later, Zoro finally screeched to a stop, leaning against a brick wall of a line of shops, breathing heavily. "That…" he panted, "Was freaky,"

"I think her eyes were red," Usopp informed them. "I saw 'em."

"And her teeth were extra pointy," Skie said.

"Mmf." Luffy still had a tangerine in his mouth.

"Yeah, that was scary," Skie replied to Luffy, and Usopp nodded.

Zoro shook his head. "Well, now that we're actually in town now, let's do some of that dumb exploring you guys wanted to do." He pushed himself away from the wall and stomped down the street, ignoring the glances at him and the squirrels with a twitching eyebrow.

Skie scurried back to her place atop his green head, putting a little paw over her eyes as if she were a lookout for something.

"Just don't pull anymore of my hair," Zoro told her.

"Mmkay," Skie said absentmindedly.

"See anything interesting, Skie?" Usopp called. "A Marine perhaps? Or maybe a vicious dragon!" Usopp crossed his little furry arms over his chest. "I once killed a dragon, all by myself!"

"Why would you do that? Dragons are cool," Skie stated.

"This one was a mean one."

"Mmf," said Luffy.

"Yeah, he was big too," Usopp nodded.

A piece of paper, a flyer or brochure perhaps, fluttered down the street until a draft of air lifted it off the cobblestone road and brought it upwards, where it smacked into Zoro's face and stuck.

With a grumbled complaint under his breath, he pulled the paper off and let his eyes scan over it. A moment later, a suspicious eyebrow was raised.

_Have your friends been turned into animals?_

the brochure read,

_Or, more specifically, squirrels?  
Fix this high-pitched problem and visit  
Madam Lamina_

"Huh." Zoro said.

"What? What is it?" Skie peeked over his forehead and read the paper. "That's perfect! Let's go see her!" Skie chirped.

"It's a trap, obviously," Zoro started to shake his head, then quickly stopped when remembering Skie's position.

"Mmf!" Luffy said.

"I agree!" Skie nodded, "Let's go anyway!"

"Well," Usopp swallowed, "If Zoro thinks it's a trap…"

Luffy shook his head, "Mmf,"

"Yeah, quit bein' such a sissy, Usopp," Skie shook her head too.

"How can you understand what he's saying?" Zoro asked incredulously.

"Mmf!" Luffy said.

"Sorry Zoro, Captain's Orders! Now let's go see this Madam Lama!" Skie said.

Zoro sighed and trudged forward, "It's Lamina."

-

Madam Lamina's house was relatively easy to find. Zoro had to only ask two people where it was. The first person ran in the opposite direction screaming, but the second person pointed them in the right direction before running away screaming.

It was a large house, with a tower on the front, and a large circle window above the large wooden door. It was painted a dark purple and accented with a natural cherry wood color. A large sign was swinging over the door that said '_Madam Lamina_'.

Zoro, still being cautious, stepped up onto the front porch and knocked on the door twice.

Seconds passed, and not a sound was heard from inside the house.

Zoro knocked again, three times this time.

A minute passed, and still no sound.

"Huh," Zoro shrugged. "She must not be home."

"What a shame!" Usopp said. "We should get going then."

Suddenly, the door swung open, making the four of them jump in surprise.

And there, in the doorway, stood a little old lady whom looked very familiar to the group of pirates. "Hello!" she smiled cheerfully. "Would you like to come in?"

"Mmf!" Luffy nodded.

"Very well. Come in, come in, dears, it's cold outside!" the woman waved them inside, standing out of the way.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea-OW!" Zoro flinched as Skie pulled another strand of hair out of his head. "Fine." He sighed, giving up, and walked into the house.

It was elegantly furnished in a charming sort of way. Most of the furniture looked like antiques.

A cuckoo clock suddenly came to life, making Usopp scream.

"It's just a clock, dearie." The lady walked into a living room, taking a seat in one of the overstuffed chairs. "Please, have a seat," she told Zoro.

He looked around, still being his cautious self, and sat down across from her. Luffy leapt off his shoulder and landed on a glass topped coffee table that was between Zoro and the woman. He then began trying to get the tangerine out of his mouth.

"I see you have a bit of a problem," the woman said.

"That's an understatement," zoro grumbled.

The woman smiled. "I know how to help. Would you like me to turn them back to normal?"

Zoro's ears perked up. "You can do that?"

"But of course! My sister and I are wonderful with this sort of thing."

"Your…sister? Wait, she wouldn't happen to live on a different island and gives people candy that turns them into Trick-or-Treating kids on Halloween?"

"Exactly! You've met her before?"

"We did!" Skie said happily, "That was fun."

"That is usually our goal." The woman smiled. "Hold on. Stay here, young man, I'll be right back with what you need." The woman stood up and walked out of the small room, leaving the four crewmates in silence.

"…Zoro," Skie said.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"There's…a hair right here that's really long, and-"

"Leave it alone, Skie."

"Here we are!" The woman walked back into the room, sitting back down in the chair. She had a small bag in one hand with an image of a cat silhouette sewed onto it. "Each of you," she looked at Usopp, Skie, and Luffy, "can eat one of these," she pulled a small hard candy in a wrapper out of the bag, "And it will turn you back to normal."

"And you're doing this for free?" Zoro raised an eyebrow.

"It's a policy."

"Okay."

_Pop!_

"Got it!" Luffy grinned, holding the dripping tangerine in front of him triumphantly.

"Ew, Luffy." Skie stuck her tongue out at him.

"Here, dearie, you try one." The woman held out a hard candy for Skie, whom took it eagerly. "It's butterscotch flavored too."

"Oooh!" Skie grinned, "Thank you," she took the wrapper off and plopped the candy in her mouth.

The effect was instant. Not one second after the little butterscotch treat hit her tongue, she was human again. And since she'd forgotten to remove herself from on top of Zoro's head, she ended up rolling off and landing in his lap.

"_Uff!_" he groaned as the air left his lungs with a _whoosh_.

"Sorry, Zoro," Skie grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah," he squeaked, still trying to remember how to inhale, "Sure."

The woman laughed cheerfully. "You next, dear." She held one out for Usopp. "But I suggest maybe hopping onto the floor first," she smiled at Skie and the now-blushing Zoro.

Usopp nodded and hopped from Zoro's shoulder to the floor. He took the candy that was handed to him, "Thank you," he said, and put it in his mouth. An instant later, human Usopp was standing where squirrel Usopp was a moment ago. "Wow! Thank you!" Usopp said, pulling at his overalls, "I feel so much better now."

"And now you, dear." The woman held a candy out for Luffy, who hesitated.

"But I like being a squirrel. Can I stay a squirrel for just today?" he looked at Zoro, as if Zoro was the one who had to decide. "Please?"

"Huh?" Zoro looked away from Skie and turned to his Captain, "What? Oh, yeah. Sure. Fine. Do whatever you want."

"Yes!"

"That's fine," the woman placed the candy inside the bag. "There's enough for the rest of your crew as well. And, as much as I enjoyed our visit, you must get going." The woman stood and headed towards the door, the crew following her outside. She looked at Skie, "You've not much time left,"

Zoro looked at her. "What do you mean by that?" he asked slowly.

"Don't worry, dear," the woman smiled at a now confused looking Skie, "Everything will be all right, in the end." And the door closed.

"Hmph. I hate it when people answer my questions like that," Zoro grumbled.

"What was she talkin' about?" Skie asked, stretching her arms over her head tiredly. It was getting rather late, now.

"Nothin'," Zoro said after a moment's hesitation. "Let's just get back to the ship, okay?" He started walking, Skie falling into step beside him.

Skie smiled up at him. "Okay," she said. She reached over and took hold of his hand, lacing their fingers together.

Zoro looked at her, but she was facing forwards, the cheerful smile still on her face. He smiled himself, and gripped her hand a little tighter.

Usopp walked behind them, wondering if he should tell Nami about this (maybe he'd get some sort of reward?). Luffy was perched on his shoulder, still amazed that everything looked so darn big.

"I'll have my candy tonight," Luffy told him, "Then I can fit in my hammock."

"Okay, Luffy," Usopp said. He looked over his shoulder, to look at the house one last time. It looked the same, but just before they turned a corner down a different street and the house was lost from sight, he saw a black cat sitting in the sill of the circular window above the door, watching them leave.

* * *

Aww, I gave you guys some fluff xD

Once again, **I ask for ideas!** Events or places they go, it doesn't matter! And that includes Skie x Zoro events. As you probobly know, I'm romantically challenged, so these things do not come easy to me xD

_**ROOTBEER**_ AND **_ROCK_**! and roll.


	51. Welcome to Green Side :SEVEN DAYS:

**Chapter 51**

Whoa! What is this?! Skie's updated?! Nice.

Well, go on and read it! It's a super-special-awesome long chapter today.

_Seven Days!_

* * *

The next day everyone was up unnervingly early. So early, in fact, that dawn hadn't even struck yet. This was an odd thing, because four out of six of the crew would never even dream of getting up at that hour.

Why were they up? Why did they decide that then would be a good time to be awake?

Because it was warm.

And during the winter, one doesn't expect the weather to be warm. One usually expects to see a bunch of snow everywhere. But, at an island they had docked at only minutes earlier (it had been surprisingly close to the last island), there wasn't a single flake of snow in sight.

And from what they could see of the island in the pre-dawn light, grass was growing and the trees were covered in leaves.

"Weeird," Nami said, leaning over the ship's side. "What's up with this island?"

"Maybe it's magical!" Skie chirped, earning an eye roll from the tired swordsman.

"Magical?!" Luffy and Usopp's eyes widened. "Really?!"

"Yeah!" Skie said loudly, turning to look at them, "Magical!"

"Magical!"

"MAGICAL!"

"Let's go!" Skie leapt off the ship, landing with a bounce on the dock, and Usopp and Luffy scrambled after her, grinning and yelling their agreements to a new adventure.

"Oi! Hold up you two!" Zoro barked after them, "Wait 'till it's light out at least."

"Where's the fun in that?" Luffy whined.

"Aw, come on Zoro!" Skie said, "Why can't we go now?"

"'Cuz I said so!"

"Sanji!" Skie looked up at the chef, who looked like he didn't disagree with Zoro. "Sanji, can we please go?" She put on her best pair of puppy eyes. "Pleeease?"

Sanji's shoulders slumped and his resolve to keep them on the ship crumbled.

"That's cheating!" Zoro saod, glaring at the cook. "You can't do that."

"Just did," Skie winked at the green haired man, who scrunched up his face until he looked twenty years older. "'Sides. Luffy's the captain, and the captain says…" she looked at Luffy.

"The captain says, LET'S GO!"

And with that, the trio took off down the long, curved cobblestone road that lead from the dock, disappearing from the other crewmembers sights as they rounded a corner, and became hidden behind a wall of thick trees.

Zoro sighed, long and hard. "Why do I even try?" He grumbled something about girls being the most annoying creatures on the face of the planet before hopping off the ship, following the others at a slow, lazy pace, hands thrust into his pockets grouchily.

"Wake me up when it's morning, Sanji," Nami said, stretching her arms over her head and yawning. "I'm going back to sleep."

"Aye-aye, Nami-Swan! And I'll have your favorite breakfast waiting for you!"

-

The path was incredibly long. It was a lot longer than it had to be, because it weaved back and forth in a smooth zig-zaggy pattern. Two hours of walking had not been very eventful for the trio of adventurers. Well, the trio plus Zoro, whom had caught up quite quickly.

"You gotta admit though," Skie said, "The trees are pretty."

This was true. Instead of solid green walls of trees surrounding the path, the emerald shade was accompanied by a few deep purple trees dotted here and there.

"Psh." Zoro grumbled. "They're trees. Trees are trees."

"I'm…so…hungry…" Luffy groaned, shoulders slumped and head hanging low on his shoulders.

"Me too!" Usopp whined.

Skie's cheerful demeanor fell in an instant, "I am too! Zoro! Go get us food!"

"Don't you order me around!"

Zoro was punched in the face with at triple smack-down of puppy dog eyes. "That won't work on me." He looked at Usopp and narrowed his eyes. "Especially from you."

"Hey!" Usopp exclaimed.

And then, quite suddenly, they took another turn around the path, expecting to see just another short bit of the extremely long road, when a very surprising sight met their eyes. And that sight was, in fact, a very picturesque town below them.

Yes, below them. Because you see, the town looked as if it was nestled in a very large bowl-shaped indent in the Earth, and on all sides were trees, both purple and green. The town looked very old fashioned and very, very clean and tidy. The grass of the bowl was cut, and gardens were absolutely everywhere. The cobblestone road leading downhill to the town was free of weeds growing in between the cracks, and from what they could hear of the people living in the town, it was looked very cheerful and happy.

"…" Zoro narrowed his eyes. "That was unexpected." He winced, suddenly, as Skie punched him in the arm, "As was that."

"Race you!" she said, and took off down the hill, Luffy and Usopp at her side, all of them laughing.

Zoro had half a mind to give their backs a full-blown Zoro scowl and march after them sullenly. But the other half of his mind let him jog down the hill and erupt into a full-on sprint, catching up with them easily, a smug grin on his face.

"Boo," he said near Skie's ear, and she nearly tripped over her own two feet after jumping ten feet in the air from surprise.

"I thought you'd just sulk your way down here!" she said, laughing.

"I was thinking about it."

"Hey! Hey! Look! There are people waiting for us!" Luffy exclaimed, pointing at the fast-approaching entrance of the town, which was under an ivy and rose-overgrown wooden arch. And yes, there were a bunch of people huddled by it, all of them looking at the advancing pirates.

"Whoa, whoawhoawhoawhoawhoawhoa." Zoro grabbed the back of Luffy's shirt and dug his heels into the rocky path, skidding to a halt right in front of the arch. Skie landed with a bounce next to him and Usopp stopped on Zoro's other side.

Everyone was silent for a long moment.

Then, suddenly

"WELCOME!" the townspeople roared, throwing their arms in the air as an eruption of bright confetti burst into the air all around them.

"WAH!" Skie jumped backwards sixteen feet, Usopp shrieked and fell over, Zoro leaned backwards ever so slightly, and Luffy grinned and threw his arms into the air also, laughing.

"Welcome to the town of Green Side!" A girl stepped out of the happy crowd, no younger than Skie herself. She had her long golden hair up in two plaits on either side of her head, and had bright violet eyes. Her shorts and short sleeved shirt matched her eyes, and a huge pencil was strapped to her back.

"Hi!" Luffy said. "Can you do that confetti thing again?"

"Maybe later," the girl said, grinning even wider. Her shoulder and eye twitched suddenly, but her smile didn't falter.

Usopp blinked, alarmed.

"Here, Brier," someone's arm reached out of the crowd, handing the girl a large thermos.

"Ah! Thank you!" Brier said, taking it and taking a long gulp. "Ahh…coffee…I love it," she sighed. "So!" she looked at Luffy, "What brings you to our little town?" she didn't give him time to answer, "Hey! I've got an idea! Why don't we go talk about it at the coffee shop!"

"Is that empty already?" Zoro questioned, eyeing the thermos in her hands.

She smiled sheepishly and held the cup upside-down, and not a drop spilled out of the open cap.

"Is there cocoa at the coffee shop?" Skie asked, appearing between Usopp and Zoro, making the sharpshooter jump and the swordsman roll his eyes.

"Yep! But…don't you think it's a bit warm to drink hot chocolate…?" Brier asked.

"She doesn't care." Zoro told her.

"Nope!" Skie nodded fiercely.

"All righty then! Follow me!"

The four pirates followed Brier through the town, surprised at how overly friendly everyone was. Every time they passed someone on the street, the person nodded at them and said 'Hello!' in a very cheerful sort of way. It was either 'Hello!' or 'Welcome!' or 'Nice to meet you!' or something along those lines.

Inside the actual coffee shop, which had a bright red door that was absolutely humongous, they sat down at a large table near the center of the shop.

"So! Tell me about yourselves!" Brier said.

"We're pirates!" Luffy said, his volume almost at shouting volume.

Usopp elbowed his captain, "Don't tell them that!"

"Pirates, eh?" Brier rested her chin in her hand and looked at the captain. "Really? Interesting."

"He's gonna be Pirate King." Skie told her. "And this idiot here is gonna be the World's Best Swordsman."

Zoro huffed at the playful insult, but remained silent after that.

"Really? Whoa. You guys must lead interesting lives. What about you two?" Brier pointed at Skie and Usopp.

"I'm going to be a brave warrior of the sea! I have an army of ten million, you know." Usopp pointed a thumb at himself, striking a proud pose on his chair.

"Uh-huh. Sure." Brier raised her eyebrows unenthusiastically and looked at Skie, waiting for her answer as Usopp sunk back into his chair, crossing his arms haughtily.

"I'm just along for the ride, really." Skie shrugged, eyeing the counter behind Brier which was stacked with all sorts of cupcakes and such. "They found me on their ship, let me join their crew, and bam, here I am."

"Stowaway, eh?" Brier grinned, her left eye twitching.

"You could say that," Zoro smirked, "She's about as irritating as the captain here, too." His grin widened when Skie stuck her tongue out at him.

Brier looked at Skie again, who was almost drooling as she stared at a large chocolate chip cookie, and laughed, her eye twitching again. "Right, cocoa right?" she asked, standing up from the table.

"And a cookie?" she looked up at Zoro, "Please?"

"What? Don't you have any money?"

"…No?"

Zoro sighed, "Fine, fine. I'll pay for it. And no," he glared at Luffy and Usopp, whom had their mouths open, about to ask him for money as well.

"No, no. No charge!" Brier set down several mugs on the table, and a few plates. Skie got a mug of hot chocolate and a large cookie. Zoro got a mug of plain and simple water. Usopp got some green tea and a carrot cake muffin. And Luffy got an extra large cream soda with an extra large blueberry pancake.

"That's like…weird," Usopp said. "You got exactly what I was thinking about having."

"Me too!" Luffy grinned, halfway through his drink already.

"Awwwesooome," Skie said. "Thanks!"

"Yeah, thank you!" Usopp nodded in agreement.

"No problem! All new residents of Green Side are treated like this." Brier said, taking her seat again, coffee-full thermos in hand.

Zoro looked up and stared at Brier. "'New residents'?" he questioned.

"…Uh…W-well, you're new right?" Brier's eye twitched again.

"I think you should lay off the coffee," Usopp muttered, his mouth full of carrot cake muffin.

"Yeah, but we're not staying," Zoro said, "Just to clear things up."

"Oh. Right." Brier nodded, but it looked like her neck twitched more than anything.

"Less coffee," Usopp said. "Seriously."

"Well, m-maybe you could stay…? A couple days? I mean, this is a very nice island. And this little town isn't all it has to offer…"

"It isn't?" three of the four pirates eyes widened and they leaned over the table, looking at Brier and wanting to know more.

Brier laughed and shook her head, "No! Not at all! Why, just that way," she pointed out one of the many windows in the shop, "There's a little theme park. And that way," she pointed at a different window, "is our sister town, Allegro Danza. If you like music, you should definitely go there." She smiled at the four pirates. "And there's lots of little things along the way. Plus, the island's got a few legends and myths worth looking into…" she lowered her voice to almost a whisper, and once again, three of the four pirates leaned in closer.

"Like what?"

"Like…" Brier looked left and right to make sure no one was listening in, "…there's supposed to be a fairy living on the island. It's supposed to have the power to grant anyone who catches it a wish."

Luffy, Skie, and Usopp's eyes lit up. "REALLY?"

Zoro leaned back in his chair. "Fairies are myths. They're 'fairy' tales. Not real. I don't believe in fai-"

Skie clapped a hand over Zoro's mouth, eyes wide. "Zoro! You can't say that!" she exclaimed.

"Why not?" Luffy asked.

"Everytime someone says 'I don't believe in fairies', somewhere, a fairy dies."

Usopp and Luffy gasped, "B-but you just said it!"

"But I didn't mean it!" Skie huffed.

Zoro smirked after Skie took her hand away. "So you do believe in fairies?"

"Hey, I'll believe anything right now." She shrugged. "Heck, Zee's a phoenix. Why shouldn't there be fairies flyin' around somewhere?"

Brier grinned. "Maybe you all could stick around and look for her?"

Usopp looked at Brier. "Have you ever seen the fairy?" he asked.

"Once or twice," Brier shrugged. "But I've never been able to catch her. They say she's the reason that it's warm here all the time." She looked at Zoro. "You look like a pretty strong guy."

Zoro scoffed.

"Maybe you could catch the fairy and get a wish."

Zoro's grip subconsciously tightened around the mug in his hands, and his mind wandered to a stray thought that had been on his mind for a while, and that thought was finding a way to save Skie. Against his will, his hopes rose a bit as he thought about catching this mysterious fairy.

"We should stay here for a while then!" Luffy exclaimed! "Skie!" he turned to the girl, who jumped at her name being yelled so loudly. "Skie, what do you think?"

"Hmm…" Skie thought, "Well, as my days are numbered, staying on an island that's warm and snow-free, complete with amusement park and fairy chasing…I think staying here would be fun! Zoro, what do you think?"

Zoro looked at Skie, and after a moments pause, grinned. "Sounds good."

Brier nodded, "Say, why don't you stay at our little inn here? Free of charge, once again."

"You guys are really hospitable," Usopp said.

Brier smiled, "It's something we're famous for."

Skie blinked, then gasped, just remembering something important. "What about Sanji and Nami?"

"They'll come eventually. I mean, we've been gone for a while," Usopp said.

"There are two more of you? Well, we'll be sure to give them a warm welcoming when they arrive. In the meantime, you all should head over to the inn." Brier looked out a window. "It's getting late."

"What? But it's only-" Zoro glanced out a window as well, but was surprised to see that indeed, the sun had gone down, and dusk was settling. "That's…but we just got here. And the walk here wasn't that long."

"This town can do that to you. It makes time fly, it's so much fun. And the forest is…strange. Time flies extra fast there. Hours can seem like minutes."

Zoro glanced at Skie before looking back out the window. "I don't like that."

"Let's go to the park tomorrow!" Luffy said, ignoring Zoro. "Is there a Ferris wheel?"

Brier nodded, her eye twitching again. "It's a big one, too."

"Wah! Okay, everyone's gotta get up early so we can get there in time to spend the whole day there!" Skie said.

"Wow. You? Get up early?" Zoro laughed, "That'll be the day."

"Hey! I got up early today, didn't I?"

"…True. This is the day."

"Yes. Yes it is. So hush up," Skie stuck her tongue out at the swordsman and looked at Brier, "Can you show us to the inn? I am kinda tired."

"Me too…" Usopp yawned.

"I'm hungry," Luffy told them.

"You're always hungry, Luffy." Zoro groaned.

"Have another pancake!" Brier said happy, getting another plate from the counter.

Luffy's face lit up like a kid at Christmas as he was handed the blueberry pancake.

Brier led them to a small two story building with a windmill on its roof and several wind chimes hung by the door and in front of the windows, most of which were cracked open to let the warm breeze in.

Curiously, every room in the inn was empty, and each of them got their own separate room.

Two minutes after everyone got settled in their rooms, Luffy was asleep.

Five minutes in, Skie started jumping on the bed, trying to touch the ceiling.

Eight minutes in, Usopp was asleep.

Ten minutes in, Zoro yelled at Skie through the wall to stop jumping.

Fifteen minutes in, Skie stopped jumping.

Sixteen minutes in, Skie was asleep.

Twenty three minutes in, Zoro was asleep, but couldn't help but feel a tad suspicious about the odd town. But hey, he was probably being paranoid.

* * *

Haha. Skie doesn't listen to silly Zoro. And I want purple trees in my yard TT-TT.

And our special guest today is Brier, as you can see. She's yet have appeared in the story, but I thought she well deserved a place because of the fantastic fan art she has drawn for this fanfiction -_squee_-. She's drawn an amazing picture of Skie, and a breathtakingly awesome picture of Skie and Zoro (a few of them, actually). You should totally check out her deviantart page, so you can see her art! Here's the link (I think you can figure out how to linkify it)

_naruto obssesion_ (dot)_ deviant art _(dot)_ com_

_End of Day Seven_

**Rootbeer** and **Rock**!


	52. To the Park! :SIX DAYS:

**Chapter 52!**

Hey wow! An update!

This is a-may-za-zing!

8D

* * *

"Time to wake up!" called Brier's familiar voice.

Skie mumbled something not understandable and pulled her fluffy white pillow over her face. "I don' wanna get up. Gimme another half hour."

"You said that a half an hour ago," a different, Zoro-ier voice said.

Skie groaned as the pillow was yanked off her face and she threw an arm over her eyes to protect them from melting in the sheer brightness of the morning. "Go away! I wanna sleeeep!" She let out a shriek of protest as the blanket she was tangled up in was yanked out from under her, making her roll onto the floor. She opened her eyes, glaring, and looked up at Zoro, who was grinning down at her, Brier standing beside him looking surprised.

"What was that for?" she demanded.

"Time to go. Which one first, fairy hunting, or the amusement park?" Zoro asked, helping her up.

"I 'unno. What do the others think?"

"Skie-Chaaan! I made breakfast!" Sanji called, twirling in through her open room door. "They let me use the kitchens and I made some for everybody." Sanji looked at Brier, "Oh! Hello Brier-San!"

Brier smiled, "Hello, Sanji," she said with a twitch.

Sanji handed Skie a big plate of pancakes and strawberries, topped with a mound of whipped cream. "Enjoy!"

"Oooh!" Skie grinned and sat down on the edge of her bed, digging in like a starving gerbil (which tear stuff up thoroughly when hungry). She even growled when Zoro sat down next to her and took a strawberry.

"Skie! Skie! We're gonna go to the park today!" Luffy charged in, bumping into Sanji. "Sorry, Sanji. Skie! Did you hear me? Did you hear?"

Skie nodded, mouth full to the point where she looked like a stuffed-up squirrel.

"Skie!" Now it was Usopp's turn to crash into her now crowded room, bumping into Luffy, who bumped into Sanji again. "Oh. You're awake." He lowered a glass of water he had in his hands, looking disappointed.

"Mmmf!" Skie said. That probably could be translated into something like "What the fudge was the glass for?!"

Zoro laughed and stole another strawberry while Skie wasn't looking.

"Okay, is everyone ready to head out?" Nami stepped in, finding a little open space among the wall-to-wall people. "Skie, you're still in your pajamas."

"Mmf mf mf," Skie said, which probably meant, "I know, but I can't really change with all you guys in here, can I?"

"Right," Nami nodded, seeming to understand her somehow. "Everybody out! Sanji, Luffy, Usopp, out! You too, Zoro." Nami pointed a thumb behind her towards the open door.

Skie sat on her bed, still shoveling down pancakes and strawberries as she watched the crew and Brier stampede themselves outside, Nami closing the door loudly behind them. "And hurry up about it!" she called through the door.

"Mmmf!" Skie called back, which meant "Sure!" or something of the same gist.

Exactly three and a half minutes later she opened the door to get out of her room, pancake plate empty, and her regular jeans and hoodie on. However, since it was warm outside and all, she had the gray hooded sweatshirt tied around her waist, and the blue scenery-esque short sleeved shirt Nami had gotten her for Christmas was visible.

She ended up bumping into Zoro after closing the door and turning around.

"Psh. You're like a roadblock, did you know that?" She looked up at him. "What?"

He shrugged, "Nothin'. The others, and by others I mean Luffy, sent me up here to get you. Apparently you got ready to slow."

"Well I'm ready now." She started marching down the hall, Zoro behind her. "You excited?"

"'Bout what?"

"The park. Dur."

"Not really. It's just an amusement park. They're for kids."

"You had fun at the toy store though." She turned around and grinned at him. "Admit it."

He grinned back, a little more mischievously than her, "Yeah, but only 'cuz I got to see you in a dress. And a frilly one at that."

Skie's eyes narrowed, but the smile didn't leave. "Yeah, well you just got upset because Luffy, Usopp and I totally got the better of both you and Sanji during that little charade. Several times."

"Did not!" Zoro huffed, and was about to tell her how much her little trio had lost that battle when they reached the end of the hall where the stairs were, and Zoro grumbled something about a certain someone being too annoying all the time when Skie jumped to the bottom.

"There you are!" Luffy grabbed her arm as soon as she landed. "We gotta go! We gotta get going right now!" he laughed as he pulled her towards the door. "We'll come back for more food later. We gotta get to the park!"

"There you are, Skie-Chan! Did you enjoy the pancakes?" Sanji asked.

Skie nodded as she was dragged out of the hotel, nodding at the lady behind the key desk when she waved goodbye. "Yeah, they were really good." She narrowed her eyes at Zoro, whom had reached the bottom of the stairs and was with the group now, "'Cept Zoro stole some of my strawberries."

"Only two," Zoro grinned.

"THOSE PANCAKES WERE FOR SKIE-CHAN," Sanji boomed.

Zoro smirked at him. "Oops."

"OOPS MY FOOT!" Sanji roared, and raised his leg, probably to kick Zoro in the face. But before his foot could connect, Brier cleared her throat rather loudly and tapped Sanji's shoulder, and the cook's attention was drawn instantly away from the swordsman.

"Ah! Brier-San!" Sanji smiled, lowering his foot. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to tell you guys that you're walking the wrong way," Brier said. "To get to the amusement park, you need to go down that road." She turned around and pointed to a small gap in the trees on the other side of the town. "The road you were headed for leads to Allegro Danza."

"Ah…right." Luffy nodded. "Well, off we go then!" He turned, still dragging Skie's arm, and marched towards the new road.

"You guys have fun. I'm gonna split up with you here for now. I've got some things I need to get done," she said, and her eye twitched again.

"I think you need your coffee fix about now, anyway," Nami said.

"See ya, Brier!" Skie called.

Brier gave a small wave and vanished back inside the inn.

They entered the road, also cobblestoned, and it was much narrower than the road to the town from the dock. The crew chatted and laughed to pass time, all walking quite fast in order to get to the park sooner. At one point a giant rock-paper-scissors tournament broke out, Usopp coming out victorious.

But then…

"Look, guys!" Skie said, drawing all eyes to her. She was pointing upwards, down the road, and the crew looked up, following her direction, and saw a giant Ferris wheel slowly coming into view over the tree tops.

"Wow." Zoro whistled.

"It's so tall!" Luffy said, "We're getting closer! C'mon!" Luffy started running, trademark super-wide grin on his face.

"Waaait!" Usopp called, "I'm gonna be the one to get there first!"

"HA!" Luffy shouted over his shoulder, and quickened his run to a full on sprint.

"Jeez," Nami murmured, "Ferris wheels are everywhere. This is the second one in just a few days."

"I don't mind!" Skie said happily, "I love 'em! And this time you hafta ride on it with me," Skie looked at Zoro, who raised an eyebrow.

"Why? It's a kid's ride. You know…for kids."

"And guess what I am," Skie grinned. "Pleeease? With a cherry? Two cherries? And some ice cream? And sprinkles? And…oh man, I'm getting hungry…" she said, and the others laughed.

"Fine, I guess so," Zoro mocked a heavy sigh.

"And look!" Nami squealed, pointing up at the still-getting-closer wheel, "They're the two-seater kind! Skie, today is the day I get that picture of you two that you promised me!" Nami said.

"Bleeeh," said Sanji.

Skie ignored Nami as best she could, going with the classic crossing her arms and a 'hmph!' as she marched away, Zoro easily keeping up with her quickened pace. "Seriously. She's like, obsessed," Skie muttered.

"Only because she thinks we're amusing," Zoro shrugged.

"Your hair's amusing."

"Oh yeah? Well your height's amusing."

"Omigosh, you did not just call me short."

"Omigosh," Zoro mimicked her voice with a grin, "I just did."

"I'm gonna kill you!" Skie shrieked, making Sanji jump in surprise from his spot a few strides back, "Nobody calls me short!"

"Bahahahahaha!" Zoro broke into a run, laughing as Skie leapt after him.

They turned one last corner in the curvy road and Zoro ran straight into Luffy, whom had just a second ago been staring out in front of him in total awe. And as luck would have it, when Zoro landed flat on his face, Skie ended up landing on his back, and shoved every little ounce of air out of his lungs.

The green haired man wheezed something about his luck and was silent as he caught his breath.

"Sorry, Zoro," Skie stepped off his back and looked at Usopp, who was struck silent by whatever he was looking at. "Usopp? Hello? Hellooo?" Skie waved a hand in front of his face.

The marksman didn't reply, but instead pointed out in front of him.

Skie looked.

And her jaw dropped.

Because stretched out in front of them had to be the biggest, brightest, and most colorful amusement park any of them had ever seen. It also smelled like funnel cake and ice cream, which was great.

"Oh. My. Gosh." Usopp, Luffy and Skie said at the same time.

"Ow. My. Lungs." said Zoro from his comfy spot in the dirt.

* * *

Dude, I hafta get a job soon TT-TT

It's kind of something I'm not looking forward too, haha, but I'll be gettin meself some moneyz! HAA! And this is good, because my dad's getting married around December... IN DISNEYWORLD. And if I get a job...SPENDING MONEY AHOY! WAHAHA! Dude, yes. I think my job'll be at SuperOne, the grocery store, but mebbe not. I dunno, we'll just wait and see.

Well...

**ROOTBEER** ANd **ROCK**! Sorry this one took so long guys!


	53. AUTHOR'S NOTE:

WELL. I'm sure you've all been wondering…

WHERE THE HELL IS THE AUTHOR OF THIS STORY. AND WHAT IS SHE DOING?

She's been a lazy ass, actually. Procrastinating, eating junk food, watching movies, saving the world before bedtime… You know; the usual.

But I promise you this, an update is sure to come soon. And see, I was going to update with an ACTUAL CHAPTER very soon…but my laptop, which has everything I've worked on for chapter 53, is a piece of crap. That being said, it won't CHARGE. I'm sure you can guess what that means. Yeah. The battery died and it will not come back to life. I don't care if zombies scare the shit out of me! I WANT MY BATTERY TO BE ALIVE AGAIN. AGH.

SO. As frustrated as you all probably are with this… "WHERE'S THE STORY? WE DEMAND MORE STORY. RIGHT NOW." Rest assured, as soon as my laptop gets out of the computer doctor's clutches, I'll get it up right away.

**PSYCHO ON THE GOING MERRY IS NOT DEAD.**

I dunno if anyone's been worried about that, but…ah ha…sorry. I just lost interest and got stuck for a bit. All authors know what that's like. Eh heh…

ANYWAY. So. Since I can't give you a real actual story chunk, expect a shorter chapter; like an intermission of sorts. It'll probably be just some goofy, normal day on the ship, taking place maybe a few months before anyone even finds out about Skie and her life support crisis. WhichprobablyalsomeansbeforethewholeZoroxSkiethingtoohahahahahaha.

I love you guys. Did I ever tell you that? So much. HA. Love yah.

Anyway, yes. And thank Ia for that intermission chapter idea when I put it up, because without her you'd be waiting who knows how long (for my comp to get fixed) to see chapter 53. So now you get something in between! Yaaay! Right? Yay? Yes. It is yay. Do not argue with me.

And hell. I might even throw in TWO intermission chapters. It depends on my mood. And you know what really ups my mood?

People voting on my polls on my profile page. THAT makes me happy. And it's cool, because they're all based on Psycho on the Going Merry. So PLEASE vote on those things. I'll be asking a lot of stuff; and what you vote on will help me with what I'll write. And I'll be changing the question a bunch too, so make sure to check up on that frequently.

So that's all I wanted to say. Just telling you what's been going on, what to expect…you know. Heh.


	54. GUEST CHAPTER Zoro The MossHead

**GUEST CHAPTER D:**

Listen up you guys. xDD I had like, seriously, three fourths of the next chapter done. I WAS SO CLOSE.  
And then my laptop erased it. Just like that. It was gone.  
GONE.

*sob cry*

And because of that I totally fell into another slump x____x But I PROMISED you guys something xDD So with my good friend Ia's permission, I posted up a story bit she wrote. xDD Basically...lol. It's a dream Zoro has.  
A Charlie the Unicorn 3 dream xDD You can guess who Charlie is, and you can prolly guess who the pink and blue unicorns are too, hum?

So anyway xDD Lol. I'm so. So damn sorry for no new chapters . Gah. But here's something at least xD

**SO IA PRESENTS:**

* * *

ZORO THE... well, not Unicorn... MOSSHEAD!

* * *

Skie and Ia, being the devilish two they are, snuck down into the boy's bedroom where only Zoro was, taking a nap, and sat down beside him.

"Ok," Ia whispered, "Ready?" she hissed excitedly to her best friend.

"Yes!" Skie hissed back, just as excited.

Using her mind powers, Ia dove into Zoro's mind. She took Skie's hand so she could see what was going on and when Ia warped it around, they saw Zoro, walking slowly down a path in a nice green meadow.

They exchanged excitedly glances and started.

"Zooooorrroooo!" Ia said in a high pitch voice, making it echo inside Zoro's dream.

"Hello? Is someone there?" he asked, looking around for the disembodied voice.

"Zooooorrroooo!" Skie said in the exact same high pitch echoy voice.

"What? What do you want?"

When he heard nothing, he continued on his slow way.

"ZORO!" Skie and Ia yelled suddenly, appearing out of nowhere in a big puff of smoke.

"AH! GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK, that's fine!" Zoro shouted, surprised and now angered.

"We're from the future, Zoro!" Ia, dressed in all blue with pale blue skin and blue hair said, looking excited. She, and Skie, who was decked in all pink, were wearing giant metal rings around them with cones on it with gold rings around the cones, goggles, and party hats matching them in colour.

"Oh, I bet." Zoro said, annoyed and sarcastic.

"The world is in peril!" Skie announced.

"All that is good has been consumed by evil!" Ia said, both still in their weird high pitch voices.

"The end is nigh, NIGH NIGH!" Skie said, her eyes glowing orange and then suddenly both girls were going in and out, giant and small, over and over again from a giant purple cloud that had appeared out of nowhere by a flash of lightning. Both of them repeating 'NIGH' in echos, still in the high pitch voices, till suddenly it stopped and they were back again in a flash of lightning.

"Yep, so that was the scariest thing I've ever seen." Zoro said flatly, truely.

"Come with us to the future!" Ia said, smiling creepily with Skie.

"You can help us finish our snowman!" Skie said, smiling.

"Snowman? What are you goin on about?" Zoro asked, getting mad.

"There's no time to explain!" Ia said brightly.

"Grab onto our tongues!" Skie said.

"How do I-"

"BLAH!" both girls yelled.

"Oh! That is so gross!" he said, clearly disgusted as Skie and Ia's tongues flew out of their mouths in a long ribbon and fell wet and slimily onto Zoro around his neck and on his shoulder.

And then in a giant flash of light and smoke they disappeared and then reappeared.  
"We're here!" Ia yelled happily.

"In the future!" Skie announced, then all of a sudden blowing on a party blower that appeared out of nowhere in her mouth, making a flat wooo noise.

"This looks exactly the same!" Zoro yelled angrily, noticing that NOTHING was different.

"SHH!" Ia said, "You'll wake the Oomoo." Ia said in a hushed voice.

"Oomoo?" Zoro asked flatly, cocking an eyebrow. Getting more annoyed with them by every passing second.

"We need to get to the river, Zoro!" Skie announced in a hushed, high pitch voice.

"And we gotta be sneaky, Zoro!" Ia said as she and Skie started floating up into the air, their legs and arms waving about as if they turned into Luffy's for they were like rubber.

"Sneaky, Zoro!" Skie said in a sly voice.

"Sneaky!" Ia said, in a sly voice, also.

"Yeah, there's no way I can do that with my limbs." Zoro said, dead panning.

"Oh no, listen!" Skie yelled, going back down to the ground gently.

"The Oomoo has awoken!" Ia yelled, she and Skie loosing their creepy smiles, and started to run past Zoro without bending their knees, so they were just bobbing up and down as they ran.

"Run!"

"Run run!"

"What are you? I don't hear anything?" Zoro yelled, seeing, hearing, and feeling nothing.

"Hurry! Look out for the Yom Yoms!" Ia yelled as she and Skie kept 'running.'

"They're everywhere!" Skie yelled.

"What am I missing here?" Zoro asked as he walked a few yards behind Skie and Ia, since they weren't going so fast.

"Narshlabs! Coming in from above!" Ia yelled.

"Evasive maneuvers!" Skie yelled, floating into the air, jerking her limbs about.

"ZORO! LOOK OUT FOR THE BLEH BLEH BLEH!" Ia yelled, trying to go faster.

"Uhh," Zoro sighed, "Can I go home yet?" Zoro yelled, holding his forehead in his hand, annoyed.

"Zoro! Get on the Duck!" Ia yelled from a giant Duck boat on a river as Skie, still jerking her limbs about, gently floated onto it beside Ia. "The Bleh Bleh Bleh are right behind us!"

"Uhh," Zoro sighed angrily, walking up to the bank of the river, "I think I'll take my chances with the Oomboos and the Wah Wahs." he said, looking around and only see trees.

"OH NO! A NARSHLAG HAS GO ZORO!" Skie yelled.

"QUICKLY! GRAB ONTO OUR TONGUES!" Ia yelled, then going "BLAH!" with Skie as their tongues ribboned out onto Zoro again.

"OH GOD! AGAIN WITH THE TONGUES!?" Zoro yelled.

---

Floating gently down the river in their Duck that reminded Zoro faintly of Sanji, they went.

"Ring ring?" Ia said, smiling creepily again.

"Hello?" Skie asked, excitedly, looking around as they stood on either side of Zoro.

"Ring ring?"

"H-hello?"

Pause.

"Ring ring?"

"Helloooo?"

"Ring ring?"

"H-helloooo?"

Pause.

"Ring ring?"

"YOU HAVE A BAD CONNECTION!" Zoro yelled, frustrated enough by these two.  
"Time to go down below!" Ia announced and Zoro started to freak out a bit.

"Into the liquid abyss!" Skie said, just as excited as Ia sounded.

"Oh My God! Hey hey! You can't swim! Or breath underwater!" Zoro yelled, thinking that they might drown, which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world (probably the best), but Luffy'd kill him.

"Ring ring?" Ia asked, completely disregarding Zoro.

"Helloooo?" Skie answered.

"I'M SERIOUS! YOU'RE GOING TO DROWN!" he yelled.

"Ring ring?"

"Hello?"

"Ring ring?"

"Hello?"

"WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH SNOWMAN!?" Zoro shouted, frightened.

"Ring ring?"

"Helloooooblubblubblubblubblub!" Skie said as the Duck finally made it down into the water.

"See, Zoro?" Ia asked, "Look!"

"This is where we've hidden the snowman!" Skie said as the Duck descended gently onto a undersea temple sort of thing with water all around them.

"Yeah, to save the world, right?" Zoro shouted, "I'm not even gonna ask how I'm still alive? Cuz you know what I think? I think I died long ago and you two are my eternal punishment." he said with a definite tone in his voice.

Pause.

"You're like a constant downer, huh?" Ia said, both her and Skie still smiling creepily.

---

"To get to the snowman," Skie started, "We need to pass THE DOOR!" she said ominously, grandly.

"The Door!" Ia added brightly

"The Door?" Zoro asked flatly as they stood before just a normal looking door standing there in the middle of this weird underwater temple thing.

"Th-The Door!" Skie said, faltering because she was so excited about The Door.

"What is 'The Door?'" Zoro asked.

"The Door is everything!" Ia started.

"All that once was and all that will be!" Skie continued, their voices getting louder, more echoie and grander. Ominous.

"The Door controls time and space!" Ia yelled.

"Love and Death!" Skie yelled.

"THE DOOR CAN SEE INTO YOUR MIND!" Ia yelled, the place shaking violently as the door started rising, purple light shining from nowhere.

"THE DOOR CAN SEE INTO YOUR SOUL!" Skie screamed, her eyes going white with Ia's, the place growing brighter and more blinding.

"Really?" Zoro asked, unaffected by anything, "Th-The Door can do all that?"  
"Heh! No!" Skie said, the place going back to normal in a snap.

---

"We're almost there, Zoro," Ia said in her high voice as they continued walking in the creepy underwater temple. "It's just at the end of this- OH MY GOD, IT'S A WHALE!" Ia screamed, her smile going away with Skie's.

"NOOOOOOOOO! WHAAAAAAAALLLLEEE!" Skie said in her high voice still as a giant dark shadow passed over them silently.

Zoro watched it with an uninterested look.

As soon as it passed, Skie and Ia continued with their smiles, walking forward.

"Just a few more steps and- OH MY GOD, IT'S A NARWAL!" Ia screamed again.

"NOOO! NARWAL!" Skie screamed.

Beat.

"NARWAL OF DEATH! IT'S GONNA KILL US!" she started screaming again.

Beat.

They continued again, Ia saying, "It's right up ahead now! You can see the- OH MY GOD IT'S A-"

"STOP IT! STOP IT!" Zoro interjected loudly, stoping Ia and Skie. "I don't care about each and every sea creature you see!" he shouted at them angrily. Getting fed up with these two girls.

"But Zoro! They care about you!" Skie said, smiling broadly as faint music started growling louder.

"Oh no... NO NO NO!" Zoro shouted as a light started bringing him up into the open water and up to a pillar where a seal/matterhorn came out of nowhere and started singing.

_"When you're feeling all alone, The world's a drone, And nobody's shown any love to you."_

"I can't tell if you're adorable or creepy?" Zoro said to the animal.

_"When your heart is cold as stone, Just change your tone, Get rid of that groan and the world will too."_

"Probably gonna go with creepy." Zoro confirmed.

_"Cos sword fishes!"  
"Love you!"_ a sword fish sang, swimming past him.  
_"Jelly fishes!"  
"Love you!"_ a jelly fish sang, swimming by.  
_"Star fish-"  
"I LOVE YOU!" a shaking starfish screamed in his deep voice at Zoro in his face.  
"You know it's true,  
"Cat fishes,";  
"Love you!"  
"Carp fishes,"  
"Love you!"  
"Blowfish-"  
"STARFISH REALLY LOVES YOU!" the starfish screamed again, cutting off the blowfish.  
"In The Ocean Blue!"  
"Lung fish, black fish, alligator, Ice fish, Armour head, hammer head, anaconda, flat head, Manta ray, stingray, fang-tooth moray, Goblin shark, grass carp, round-river-bat ray, Noodle fish, hag fish, man o' war, lady fish, Black eel, baby seal, sprat, koi, electric eel, Lamprey, pejerey, yellow-edged moray, Salmon shark, sleeper shark, featherback and eagle ray!" large shrimp started rapping.  
"Well you can ignore this plea, That's fine with me, But one day you'll see that my words are true.  
"What if ya find that you agree, I guarantee, That you will soon be feeling the love too.  
"Cos sword fishes,"  
"Love you!"  
"Jelly fishes,"  
"Love you!"  
"Star fishes-"  
"I WANNA BE WITH YOU FOREVER!"  
"You know it's true,"  
"Cat fishes,"  
"Love you!"  
"Carp fishes,"  
"Love you!"  
"Blowfishes-"  
"STARFISH! LOVE ME, LOVE ME!"  
"In The Ocean Blue!" he sang and finally exploded._

_  
_Zoro floated back down to the temple, saying, "Yup, there goes everyone exploding." in a bored tone, till he looked around and saw the Snowman.

"Oh, hey, look at that. Hey guys, I found the snowman! What'd you want me to do? Guys?" he called but heard no answer.

Suddenly, green gas started floating up to him.

"What the? Oh, sleeping gas! Why'd I expect any different?" he shouted right before he fell to the ground, asleep.

--_-_

He woke up in snow as a blizzard was comming down.

He looked around and yelled, "Uh? Where am I?" till he noticed his bandanna missing.

"Uh? Hey! Where's my bandanna!" he yelled, getting up and finding it on the snowman as a hat.

"WHAT DID THAT ACCOMPLISH!?" he shouted, looking around. "Why would... oh, look, it's my kidney!" he said, proud.

Zoro looked around and then said, "WHAT THE- SKIE! IA!" he started shouting in real life.

Skie and Ia were busy trying to get up the ladder as Zoro was waking up.

"GO GO GO!" Skie yelled, laughing as Zoro saw them and Ia was about to get out of the trap door when he grabbed her ankle and pulled her down.


	55. Ohmygoodness

And then Skie died and everybody lived happily ever after.

**THE END**


	56. Mini Series :: Part One

Previously on Psycho on the Going Merry:

The crew had just arrived at the park, nestled deep within the forest beside Green Side, a mysterious town placed on an even stranger island where the inhabitants seem oh-so-eager to make you as comfortable as possible.

However, this is not a continuation of that bit. As the author feel absolutely awful for that April Fool's day prank, she has decided to give you all a bit of a treat while the actual story-chapter is being worked on (it has not been updated yet because the flash drive that had the chapter on it was lost, and therefore the author's willingness to try again plummeted out of the sky like a rock chucked out of the back of an airplane). As such, this newest little bit isn't much, but while the author tries to figure stuff out all over again, she hopes to update you (whomever of you remain after the author's ridiculously long absence) with little things like this frequently. As, you see, she has fallen in love with One Piece all over again. So, in other words, the motivation is back. Which was the fatal missing chunk when it came to actually updating.

Hopefully though, that missing chunk will stay for a long long while. Long enough to finish this story, hopefully drawing the readers back, because seriously, in all absolute honesty, she's missed the hell out of all of you.

SO.

ENJOY THIS MINI-SERIES THAT WILL INTRODUCE A NEW CHARACTER THAT YOU NEVER KNEW WAS IN THE STORY ALL ALONG.

WAITWHAT.

* * *

…

…

"Let me…ask you a question."

The room was dead silent, other than the shuffling footsteps of a frustrated girl talking to, in fact, absolutely no one.

That was the reason it was so dead silent, you see; she was the only one in the room.

"If you were…in my situation. You know? What would you do?"

The girl, not more than sixteen years of age, paused in front of a stick figure drawn in chalk on the cold stone wall. She crossed her arms, cupping her chin with one hand and arching a brow as if listening to the little chalk-man's advice.

"…Well no, see, that wouldn't work for me, silly. I'm not made of chalk or stone. See, I'm squishy." She demonstrated this by poking her stomach. "Lookit that. Squish. Something speedy and metal hits that it's like bam. Adios world and future chocolate bars."

Pause.

She froze, tilting her head, much like a bird, and listened. There were heavy, clomping footsteps from the other side of the heavy wooden-and-iron door of her cold, dark, cell. The girl backed up a few steps after a second, standing beside the rusty creaky old cot stuffed in the corner of the room.

Those footsteps got louder. Louder. Louder, still. In a few moments they would be just outside her door—right on the other side.

"Looks like this is it, Chalky," she hissed, narrowing her eyes and pressing her back to the cool wall.

The footsteps stopped.

She zeroed in on the iron knob of the door, watching it twitch as someone took hold of it. There was a sharp click, and then silence once again. The girl held her breath. Her mind felt sluggish, and she couldn't think half-straight, what with sugar being out of her system for a good long while now. How long had she been down here anyway? A day? Two? Eight? She had no idea. There were no windows in the cell, and the dude who brought her her food never told her what time or day it was when she asked him.

Tch.

Damn Marines.

Didn't much like being friendly to the pirate-kind, did they?

"I'll give you five minutes," growled the voice on the other side of the door.

And she let out that breath of air, surprised because she recognized the voice. She didn't know why, but there was a little hint of something going on in the back of her head. Like déjà vu. It left her stunned for a moment.

"Five minutes," he repeated. "The hall is forked. Going straight will lead you onto the main deck. You will be shot, killed, maimed, destroyed, etc if you go that way. If you take the left fork it will lead you to the side deck which is currently empty, and will remain empty for five minutes since night watch is changing. Do not go right. That is a dead end that will lead you to nothing but more cells."

"But…" she blinked. "Uh." The girl shook her head. "The others. My crew. Where the hell are they?" without meaning to she let her eyes shift to the chalk-man on the wall.

"They were never captured. You were the only—"

"What, not even Usopp?"

"—one the rookie troop managed to snare."

"…Rookie troop. Are you serious."

"Kid, you have four minutes now." The doorknob twitched again, the man releasing it. She heard him shift, about to leave.

"Hold on! Hold up! What…who are you? And…you wouldn't happen to have a chocolate bar on you, would you?"

…

The door creaked open slowly after a moment, but in the dark of the cold hall in the brig, she only saw a silhouette. A broad-shouldered and tall silhouette. Typical Marine, really. She heard him snort back what might have been a laugh or some sort of cough because the air in the hall was thick with cigar smoke.

His arm moved and something struck her arm. She jumped, reflexes allowing her to jerk an arm up to catch whatever it was.

"Your favorite kind," he growled. "You're running out of time. Hurry your ass up." The man took a step back, unblocking the door. When she didn't move for a second she saw the shadow of his arm move again, motioning for the left fork in the hall he was talking about. "Jump the railing and onto the raft waiting for you. Your crew is following us. Stay quiet until this ship is out of sight. They'll pick you up when we're gone."

"…Yeah." She inched her way towards the door, narrowing her eyes to suspicious little pinpricks as she slid into the hall slowly. "…Thanks I guess. You could tell the food-bringing-guy to be nicer though. Girl can only take so much silence after so long. Didn't even say hi or nothin'."

"Girl, you are running. Out. Of. Time." He reached out and gave one of her shoulders a shove, stumbling her a few steps down the hall. "Three minutes."

She nodded once, turned, and sprinted down the hall, sometimes going invisible as the deep shadows of the place swallowed her from time to time.

The man watched her go, glancing back into her cell before closing the door.

…

"Aw shit," he hissed. Detail missed. Biiig detail missed.

He bolted after her.

--

"Dark dark dark dark dark," she mumbled to herself as she burst through the door and into the open air. Though it was only a little lighter outside than it was back in that damn hall. The moon was barely a sliver in the sky, the sky itself black as ink with millions of pin-prick stars scattered everywhere. She could hear a mix of things in the air. The water just over the rail of the ship in front of her, and the laughter and shouts and grumbles of Marines on other parts of the ship.

He hadn't been lying; she was alone here. This stretch of deck was deserted. They were changing shifts.

And if her seconds-counting was right, she had less than a minute to get off the ship—

"HAGHGH" she shrieked when someone grabbed her shoulder, though that scream was cut short when a hand clapped over her mouth.

"Good GOD," that familiar voice whispered, furious. "Really? You're gonna scream? REALLY?" Funny how he could whisper so damn quietly and be so damn loud at the same time. "I forgot something. Hold still. This is important to you getting away."

That got her squirming and muffled cursing to stop.

He removed his hand from her mouth and pressed his palm to the girl's forehead. For a moment his eyes flashed, glowing a dim orange for a moment in the dark.

"As soon as you climb aboard your ship…you will forget about all of this. When your shipmates touch you, they will forget as well. They'll forget the days they spent searching for you, and you the days you spent here. You will forget about me again, understood?"

"Hold up, strange-man-with-glowy-eyes, what do you mean 'again'—"

"Someone's coming. Go," he hissed. He let her go and shoved her away. "I don't need to explain anything to you. Go."

She hesitated for a half a second, déjà vu doing everything but murdering her brain before she flipped herself over the wooden railing of the ship. It was a tall ship, though she had judged the distance right when she glanced at the raft while leaping over the edge. It took a few seconds for her to hit the floating chunk of wood, and she almost stumbled, the wood clapping under her shoes and bobbing in the waves, and for a moment, panic flared in her chest because someone might have heard her.

It was quiet.

That was skill, she thought proudly for a moment.

And just like the guy had told her, she stayed absolutely silent after that, kneeling down carefully, keeping quiet.

When she looked up she could see his outline—whoever he was. He hadn't moved from his spot near the railing, and the sight of another shadow appearing made her freeze, hoping it really was exceptionally dark out—dark enough to hide her from sight at least.

"I heard something. You throw something in the water? Sounded like a splash," the shadow said, his voice dim but audible.

"Empty bottle is all," said her rescuer-stranger. "Nothing to worry about."

"Mmkay. Well. I've got my shift on this chunk a' deck right here. You doing anything? It's your break night now right? Mind keeping me company?"

"Not at all."

"Thanks, Arthy."

She narrowed her eyes as the ship slowly sailed off, away from her. She was relieved, but something about that guy…that Arthy (she snickered a bit on the inside at the name. Pft. Arthy. What, was he a puppy?) was so…familiar. Agh, tip of her tongue, but she couldn't place him.

Guh.

She sat back on the small raft with a sigh, glad as hell the water was calm that night. No choppy waves worry about. All she had to do now was wait for the others to come pick her up.

...

Oh, and to nibble on her new chocolate bar of course.

And by 'nibble' I mean 'scarf down like a homeless man scarfs down a free sample smoothie at an ice cream stand'.

* * *

First bit of a mini-series that popped into my head via random daydream thing. I said to myself "Hey, while that stupid big-ass main-story chapter is being worked on, why not give them a story to read while it's being redone?" so YAY. Here it is xD Perhaps a bit short, but that'll make these way easier to update, no?

So. Who is this mysterious man? This mysterious…Arthy (snickersnort). And what did he mean by 'again' back there? WE SHALL FIND OUT SOON ENOUGH.

And seriously doods, sorry if that April Fool's thing scared anyone xDD Bahahaha. You should have seen your internet-faces. Oh ho ho. Too rich.


	57. Mini Series :: Part Two

Second part of the mini-series x3 And lol whoa. Still have lotsa people reading this D: …It makes me so happyyyy *tears and crying and things*

And once again, these are gonna be short so I can update 'em quicker xD Lol.

Anywho, the plot thickens o3o Or something.

* * *

Boredom.

Oh jeez, there was so much of it.

Skie glared up at the stars above her, shivering because a hoodie really wasn't enough on a cool night in the middle of the ocean to keep someone nice and toasty. Tch. It felt like hours, at least a billion, since she'd dropped onto the raft in the first place. Ugh, there wasn't anything to do. Seriously, she couldn't even hop around to keep herself entertained lest she stumble and end up drowning herself.

Which would be lame.

Tick tock, tick tock, went the invisible clock hovering in the air over her face. If she had to wait one more freaking second, she was going to go insane. Just plain old bonkers in the head. Hell, she might decide just to eat the raft or something. Guh. And—

She heard the water splash and ripple off to the side, a bit of a distance away.

First thing to pop into her mind: THE SHIP! OH GOD YES SANJI'S COOKING HERE I COME. .

Second thing to pop into her mind after glancing up in the sound's direction: Oh sweet Baby Jesus.

There was a shark fin in the water, slicing through the surface smoothly, coming right at her.

"FFFFF" she sat up, able to do nothing but slide backwards until her butt almost touched the water she was so close to the edge of the raft. Oh yay. Being eaten. That was totally how she wanted to go. "I've seen Jaws," she told the shark fin. "You…you ain't so tough. Lookit you, you're shrimpy!"

The fin veered off all of a sudden, circling her and her raft instead of trying to make itself a nice collision course with it.

"…" Needless to say she was really just hoping she wasn't about to die a horrible death. Lots of things flashed in front of her eyes. Her life, her goals, her last bar of chocolate…

A second fin appeared, surfacing so close it got her to squeak out a scream and scramble back into the center of the raft.

"Aaaagh." The girl looked around, squinting, desperate to see something, anything other than a damn invitation to sharp and pointy death on the dark horizon. There were a lot of things she realized she had forgotten to do in her life. One of them being breaking her record on how many chocolate bars she could stuff in her mouth. Another being…pft.

No way. She was totally not gonna think about that stupid Moss-Head during her last moments. Uck. Bleh. Yech. Nas-TY!

She yelped when one of the sharks bumped up against the raft, making it tilt and wobble. Good Lord if she fell in not only would she but a nice tasty treat, but she wouldn't even be able to fend off her chompers-to-be. Freaking Devil Fruit making her totally useless in the water and stuff. Dammit.

"Hey, hey, hey!" she glanced back and forth between the two circling menaces. "We don't have to fight! You know? We could just…talk. Or something. You sharks can talk right? Yeah? Who the hell knows in this place." A nervous laugh. "Ah ha ha…okay no. Okay, so…so how about…we play a game? Okay? The let's-not-eat-the-girl-on-the-raft-game? That's such a fun game, you ever played it before? Good Lord I could play it for hours on end it's so fun."

The sharks were silent.

"This is how you play. I count to three…yeah? And then you two..you swim off in…that direction," she pointed her hand off in front of her, "as fast as you possibly can and count to one hundred thousand. Then you can swim back once you reach that number. …And when you get back you do it all over again! Doesn't that sound like so much fun? Good exercise too. Really builds those shark muscles, let me tell you."

And still, the sharks never said a word.

Ugh, she was just rambling away her last words like a crazy person.

"I should say something cool," she muttered. "Last words are supposed to be cool right? Yeah. So you two just sit tight and do your little circles while I think."

…

…

…

"I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING GAW DAMMIT."

"~~~~!"

She looked around, blinking. Okaaay she could have sworn she had just heard something…something not-sharky. Muffled…voices?! Maybe?!

"GUYS?" she called out. Omigawd, if they were coming to her damn rescue then…well FINALLY. "GUYS! OVER HERE!"

"~~! ~~~~!!"

"YES. IN THIS DIRECTION YOU IDIOTS." She squinted all around her, but in the shadows of the night couldn't see a thing, even with the moonlight glinting across the water. "GET ME OUT OF HERE. I AM ABOUT TO BE A STUPID FISH'S DAMN PIECE OF GUM SO GETCHERASSES OVER HERE AND—ACK!"

One of the sharks bumped up against the raft again, making her nearly roll off the edge and over the side. Jesus, she wished the raft were bigger. Like football field sized maybe. Yeah, that'd be good enough. "Hoookaystopdoingthatplease," she squeaked. The girl flattened her palms out over the raft in hopes of keeping herself steadier. She was not gonna be eaten now. No way, not when—

…

What was that.

She squinted, not quite sure of what she was seeing, but…it looked like…a piece of string? Flying at her? The moonlight hit it just right to illuminate the thing while it was—

Oh. Oh, this was prolly gonna end up hurting.

The raft shook again, and again right after that. The sharks were getting impatient. But Skie stood up, shaky on her feet, though careful with her footing, and waited. A second was all it took.

And Luffy had judged his distance, or guessed, more likely, perfectly. That 'string' was his arm, and in the time it took to snap her fingers, his hand appeared, just close enough to snag up a handful of her hoodie, and BAM.

She was gone. Yanked clear off the raft the moment one of the sharks reared up and crushed it with its body.

* * *

I dunno about you but I think that was a close one.

And I haven't done this in forever but:

**ROOTBEER **AND **ROCK**


	58. Mini Series :: Part Three

Skie decided that she wasn't absolutely in love with flying. …At least not like this. At least not while still attached to her captain's arm.

…In fact, she wouldn't call it flying, now that she thought about it. She would call it…hurtling. Yeah, hurtling. Like how you would describe a satellite that had lost control. Those things hurtled through space like "AAAGH". Flying was what a bird did on a nice day or on a spring vacation.

Yes, this was most definitely. Definitely. Hurtling.

"OhGodohGodohGodohGod" she chanted steadily, eyes widening by the second. If she got a bloody nose or a broken limb she was going to KILL somebody. Namely Luffy. …Okay, that might be a bit harsh, seeing as he'd saved her from becoming shark food…okay, so she'd kill Zoro. Yeah, Zoro would get the blame. Because Zoro always got the blame.

The dude had green hair. You could blame him for global warming and it would make sense. Just because.

She squinted, her grip tightening over Luffy's wrist so hard it hurt her own fingers. The shadowy figure of the ship came into sight, a looong way off. But at the speed she was 'hurtling' through the air at, she would probably reach it, oh…five seconds?

Okaymakethatwo—

"AGH"

"WATCH OUT"

"OUT OF THE WAY"

"AAAH-HA-HOWCH"

To Skie, the world went out like a light barely a moment after impact with her captain's forehead.

--

"—nasty bruise on her forehead there."

"Would make sense. Luffy's so hard headed I'm surprised her skull didn't split clean in half."

"Jesus, Nami! Be more graphic, please!"

"Well I'm just saying I'm surprised is all."

"Ah, she's moving! Look, she twitched."

"She's been twitching for a half an hour now, Usopp."

"No, but it was the "I'm awake now" sort of twitch! There, see? She did it again!"

Skie groaned, moving an arm up slowly, her hand touching delicately at the bright-ass star of pain on her forehead. She winced when she touched it, the pain sparking worse. "Aaagh owowowow."

Someone touched her wrist, pulling her hand away from her forehead. "Careful now," came Sanji's voice. "Luffy snatched you out of the water and you two clocked heads. You might have a concussion."

"What…what was I doing out there?" she mumbled. An image flashed in the back of her mind—someone with orange eyes—but it was gone in an instant, just as quick as it came. She couldn't remember anything.

"Don't know," Sanji told her.

She opened her eyes, but gave up at the double whammy of everything she saw splitting in two and it being dark anyway. "Ugh."

"We don't know how you got out there. Guess you fell off," Usopp said slowly, like he was trying to figure out an explanation along with everyone else, who muttered half-hearted agreements.

"What," growled Zoro, but his voice was washed out by Nami's.

"There's a rule, Skie. No jumping while the ship is moving. Remember it?"

"Sorry," Skie managed. "Don't…remember jumping off the ship. Sorry. Didn't mean to."

"You're kidding me," Zoro hissed. "You are all. Kidding me."

"The hell is your problem," Sanji snapped.

Skie opened her eyes again, pushing herself up on her elbows shakily, someone helping to sit her up. She was grateful for that; she was fairly certain she would have fallen back down onto the deck without the help. She opened her eyes again, swallowing back a wave of nausea at the splitting images again. Though after a second they refocused and she looked up at the green haired man. "Huh?"

"What do you mean you can't remember," Zoro demanded, eyes zeroing in on her.

"She must have hit her head again," Usopp shrugged.

"The same goes for you!" Zoro barked, making Usopp jump. "Why don't YOU remember?!"

"…Uh. R-remember what?" the sharpshooter squeaked.

"Everything!"

"…Calm down. Let's go over everything," Nami said, voice calm.

Skie turned her head slowly to look at the older girl, blinking to keep her from blurring or going double. Man, her head hurt.

"Skie, start at the beginning. Last thing you remember?"

"Uh…I was…I was on the ship."

"Uh-huh?"

"But…I was in my room. Just…I think I was reading. And then someone opened my door and…that's it. I really must have hit my head because the next thing I remember is…waking up here? I guess I fell off the ship and had another stupid memory lapse…thing."

"Memory…lapse…thing." Zoro's eyes were furious, tension crackling around his shoulders.

Sanji ignored him. "You only remember till now? I guess the rest doesn't matter. However you fell off, we got you back now, so no worries."

"I'm on the deck right?" She squinted around.

"No, actually. We brought you down to your room. You really can't see too well, huh?" Sanji's grip tightened over her wrist a little. "Lay back down, you'll need your sleep. Rest up."

Skie let herself move back down onto the pillow slowly. Gah, funny how slowly it was taking her to realize all this. Bed, not deck, room, not outside…ugh. Her head huuurt like hellll…

"Get out of the way."

She blinked up at Zoro when he pushed the blonde cook to the side, pulling off 'looming' pretty damn well. His eyes narrowed at her before he glared at everyone in turn. "Why don't any of you remember?"

"God, remember what, Zoro?" Nami demanded, exasperated.

"Jackass," Sanji hissed, righting himself. "Leave her alone, she needs to—"

"We've been searching for you for da—!" The man's words stopped dead in his throat the instant his hand touched Skie's shoulder.

"…Daaaa…?" Skie raised an eyebrow. "Da what?"

Zoro blinked, looking around at the rest of the crew slowly. A mixture of anger and confusion were the variety of expressions he got from them. "…I don't…" He let her shoulder go and took a bit of a step back, scowling as he crossed his arms. "Hmph. I don't remember."

* * *

Orange-eyed weirdo's little magic voodoo spell thing worked |: My goodness.

Oh hey if you guys haven't seen How to Train Your Dragon yet…  
Go and watch it right now o____o


	59. Mini Series :: Part Four

STUFF happened in life and I couldn't get at a chapter (and also, I admit, summer-laziness was a good part too)

Biggest thing: I am officially gonna be joining the Air Force, and am shipping off to basic training on December 7th (so know that when there are no updates around that time, it is because I'm workin' my butt of and getting screamed at by drill instructors and crawlin' around in the mud and stuff, not being lazy xD I PROMISE YOU THERE WILL BE NO SUCH THING AS A LAZY DAY AFTER DECEMBER 7th)

And also visiting my mom in South Carolina too. God it's so hot here, how do you local people stand it o-o I melt a little every time I walk outside. I miss Michigan xD

Anyway, more mini-series, talkin' more about how that weird orange-eyed Arthy dude met Skie in the first place and yadda yadda—there's a poll about him, I should add. Lots of you voted, but pfff. You miiiight wanna look at it if you haven't xD Kinda important. I'm still deciding whether or not to go on with my…evil little plans.

Bahahahaha.

Anyway this is set a quite a few months afterrrr the last update. So a good chunk of time has passed since Arthy helped her escape that last time.

* * *

The deck of the Marine ship, the Carina, was almost dead silent where he stood. Guard duty at the back of the boat was usually always the quietest place, and he was virtually the only one on this end of the big boat. But he actually liked the quiet; it gave him a good excuse to think.

He'd had a lot on his mind recently.

Well…really about only one thing though, or rather, a person. A short little nuisance who did a good job of sticking in your head long after she was gone. It was sort of sadly ironic, seeing as how he had the ability to erase memories, but the ability wasn't able to turn back on himself, so he got to keep all his memories of the little pest, despite her not remembering him at all—he'd made sure of that.

Grunting, he lifted a hand and rubbed his fingers over his eyes a bit tiredly, reaching up after a few seconds to run his hand through his short, choppy brown hair.

It was kind of funny. She couldn't seem to leave him the hell alone anyway. The fact that she had allied herself with pirates…it made things complicated. The little pest. Little stupid pest. As a Marine, of course, and one who believed heavily in Justice, it was always a bit difficult, letting her sneak away.

She didn't deserve the noose, or any of the torture that might be shoved at her in order to get her to talk more about her crew. No doubt they might go easy on her, seeing as how she was still pretty young, and a girl for that matter. Torturing someone like that would just make you look bad. Though…it might have happened anyway.

He wasn't a bad guy, he reminded himself; helping her was the right thing to do.

He remembered the first time they met…she was what…fourteen? Years ago. A long time ago. She had been relatively new to the Straw Hat crew then. How they met was actually a lot like what had happened in the brig a few months ago. They had attacked the Going Merry, she had been the only one they were able to capture.

Tossed into one of the cells, the girl shouting out some of the dumbest insults he had ever heard, he had to laugh at the all the fuss. Though in the long run there wasn't anything funny about it—it was a dangerous situation to be caught and forced into. He had been charged with guarding her cell, and grumbled about it because he'd already felt guilty enough, watching the kid pace and stomp like she was.

She'd called him a pumpkin head at one point when he tried to talk to her, and he still had to assume that had to do with the color of his eyes. But she was stuck down there for a total of three days, so she did eventually ease up and talk back without the little insulting (no matter how stupid her would-be offenses were) bite.

It took him about a day to realize he liked her. And on the morning of the third day, he realized he needed to help her.

His first thought…he wanted to erase her mind of the Straw Hats completely. She would be useless to the Navy if she couldn't help them—and with her mind blank from anything that had to do with piracy or anything criminal at all, no one on the ship could really punish her in good conscience. She would probably be hired as a chore girl until she could be dropped off somewhere safe.

It sounded like a good enough plan. Hell, maybe she would even want to stay aboard. She was an amusing thing. A bit on the dim side, but it didn't bother him. They could have become friends, even.

And he was actually going to go through with it. He almost did—could have just cleaned the Straw Hat pirates right out of her life completely. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. His ability stretched further than just clearing someone's head of recent memories. He could also search through someone's mind to take care of deeper memories—and while doing that, of course, he could witness someone's entire life if he wanted.

When he'd started to dip into Skie's mind…it became apparent that erasing those damned pirates would be cruel. Far too cruel. Even though she had only been with them a few months, she cared about them. She cared about them a lot. And from what he could see, they cared about her as well. Like some sort of makeshift, rickety strange family, and he couldn't let himself tear that apart.

So, simply put, he helped her escape.

It was a bit rough that first time—he had to erase a few witnesses' memories, but that was alright. And he set up the same cues for her; as soon as she was saved by her crew, she and the pirates would forget all about her being captured and just go on their merry way.

…

Little pest ended up crossing his path a total of four times after that. Five in total, and he could hardly believe her luck. She was always the only one to get captured, and he always ended up liking her all over again, and he always had to figure out some way to get her off the damn ship. Good thing the Carina was more or less a low ranking ship—something not audibly called 'expendable', but the thought was there. Otherwise more of the crew might have been captured; and he was a damn softy at heart so he knew he would probably end up trying to save all of the idiots along with her.

Ugh.

Hopefully that had been the last time he'd see her. Kind of hurt, but…well it was dangerous, her getting caught all the time. Eventually the both of them would stop getting lucky when it came to her escaping and something would go wrong. So despite the fact that she'd more or less grown on him to an almost frightening degree, he never wanted to see her again.

"Yo! Arthur!"

He straightened, thoughts breaking a little before he turned and glanced over his shoulder. John, a man who was really the only person he could call his friend, trotted up to him from around the bend on the deck, grinning.

"Notice anything weird?"

"…Did Stephan shave off your eyebrows again?" Arthur asked, tone flat, and reached for him. "Your dumb bangs are always in the way, I can't see—"

"Gah, no!" John swatted his hand away. "The weather you idiot, not my damn eyebrows!"

Arthur paused for a second, arching a brow. …Now that he thought about it…it was actually… "Warm?" he tried.

"Bingo, Arthy," John smirked. "Captain's got no friggin' idea what's up, but there's an island we're getting close too that's throwing off the same sort of weather phenomenon as the ones over in the Grand Line. Dunno why," John said quickly when Arthur opened his mouth to ask. "That's just how it is, man."

"…But we're stopping at this island then? Do we have to? Something might be wrong with it, other than just the weather, and I'm not exactly familiar with—"

"Cool down, we sort of need to. Restock on supplies and everything. I mean, we could make it to the next island after this one, but we'd be going on pretty strict rations soon, y'know?"

Arthur sighed, reaching up and pressing his fingers into his temple. "Yeah. Alright. I just hope this goes quick," he shrugged.

"Sure it will. Personally I've missed the warm. I'm hoping we stay a couple days though. Captain says that he could see grass through his binoculars. Grass!" John grinned. "Haven't seen that stuff in months. Livin' on a boat bugs me sometimes, and so does winter," he complained. He was only about a year younger than Arthur himself—John was seventeen years old, and really had enough energy and enthusiasm for the both of them, and then some. "But it'll be a couple hours 'till we hit shore. Wanna play some cards?"

Arthur only hesitated for a split second, thinking about the little pest of a brat again—she and him had played cards a few times while she'd been on the ship. She was good at epic-failing when it came to cheating. He would laugh at her, and then she would join in, and he would forget that she couldn't remember him; that they weren't friends and she couldn't trust him like he sometimes really wanted her to.

"Ah…yeah, cards," Arthur said after a moment, thoughts of her quieting. "Sounds fun. But if any of them blows off deck I'm not gonna be the one to go get them—"

The two young men paused, turning as a commotion rose from a different part of the ship. They glanced at each other for a moment before jogging across the deck to see what was causing the riot.

They found the Captain, a man with more ego than experience under his belt, trying to talk to a hysterical chore boy. "C'mon, kid, what did you see? What's wrong?" he asked, trying to tug the binoculars the boy had in a death grip in his hands.

"Th…th-those pirates!" the boy finally managed, and Arthur's face deadpanned while everyone else's lit up in shock.

"Pirates?" the Captain echoed, arching a brow.

"C-couldn't see them before because of th-the rocks," he said, pointing, but at the distance they were at, all that could be seen of the jutting rocks was a smear of gray on the dim shore. No ship in sight at all. "B…but th..the flag!" he said, and finally let go of the binoculars. "Skull and crossb-bones!"

The Captain wasted no time, raising them to his eyes before going dead quiet for a few seconds. "...Men," he started slowly. "It looks like we're not going to be stopping by this island just to go supply shoppin'."

The small crowd that had gathered murmured and looked at each other, some nodding their excitement for another encounter with some pirates, others locking their jaw to hide how nervous they were at the very idea.

At one point Arthur smirked and shrugged. Like hell this would be the same group of pirates. There were hundreds of small-time rag-tag crews, if not thousands! What were the chances? The more Arthur thought this over the better he felt, and laughed, extending a hand.

"Captain?" he called, catching the tall man's attention. "May I see the pirates who've run out on their luck?" he asked, and the confidence in his voice sent the men cheering—hell yes, they'd run out of luck! Those pirates were going down!

He even laughed when the Captain handed the binoculars over, lifting them to see for himself, who—

…

"You've _gotta_ be kidding me." But his voice was muffled out by the loud-as-ever cheering.

* * *

Oh ho ho ho ho what is this madness.

Mini-series is over! Next update'll be the actual chapter! I promise!

But **VOTE ON MY PROFILE ON THE POLL**. I AM INTERESTED IN THE IDEA OF _WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN. _The story can go _two _ways (sub-plot anyway) depending on what you all vote for! And it's majority rules, so load on the votes, guys!

**Rootbeer** and **Rock**! (**Read** and **Review** for those who have forgotten lolololol)


	60. House of Mirrors :SIX DAYS:

LAST TIME DURING THE EXCITING ADVENTURES OF PSYCHO ON THE GOING MERRY (THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO DO WITH NOTES OR MINI SERIES THINGS):

Zoro, Luffy, Usopp and Skie just arrived at the phenomenally awesome amusement park thing.

Let's watch and find out what happens, shall we?

* * *

"Skie. Skie you're standing on my damn back still, get the hell off—" Zoro growled, grunting when the girl hopped off of his spine and onto a patch of dirt in front of him, though never once did she break her gaze from the amazing and beautiful sigh in front of her. Hell, none of them could (save for Zoro, whom was standing and brushing himself off, cursing under his breath).

Arcs of blue and purple and swirls of red and silver and yellow rose up in front of them. Off in the distance rotated an enormous Ferris Wheel, and around the entire park the tracks of some sort of monstrously large roller coaster waved, spinning in and out of itself and sometimes dipping below the earth; dark tunnels for the thrill aspect of the ride no doubt.

Countless rides stood in front of them, waiting, all of them running, though none of them thought it odd (or rather, none of them noticed, at first at least) that the park was more or less…completely deserted. The dull roar that usually came with a crowd of laughing, happy park-goers was missing from the scene.

"Are you guys seeing this?" Skie spoke up finally, breaking the heavy, entranced silence.

"I think I'm seeing this," answered Usopp.

"I know I am," replied Luffy.

Zoro just grumbled to himself about his luck and how horrible it was.

"…Firrrst one to the big giant huge coaster wins?" Skie suggested.

Luffy and Usopp bolted without saying a word, making the girl yelp and leap after them, laughing and calling out at them about cheating and how it wouldn't count if they did win now. Zoro just sighed and trotted after them, hands shoved in his pockets, wondering why he put up with it all.

The trio rushed into the park, glancing left and right, taking in everything their eyes could handle. And it was difficult, finding where the coaster started exactly, since its tracks circled…well…everything, it seemed.

"Let's go on something else and just circle around until we find the start of the roller coaster," Usopp suggested. "That way we can get a bunch of stuff done on the way."

"Good plan, I like that plan," Skie murmured while they jogged, and on the same cue, the three of them slid to a stop on the dusty dirt path, glancing up at a huge white and red building. "Whoa," she hummed, looking over it; it was rather impressive. It looked like a shrunk-down mansion, and on a huge sign, the lettering silver and red, read 'House of Mirrors'.

"House of Mirrors?" Luffy questioned. "That sounds like fun!"

"You've never been in one?" Skie asked, looking over her shoulder at her captain. When Luffy shook his head, she grinned. "Omigosh. C'mon I have got to freggin' show you this. Usopp, have you been in one?"

"Once when I was really little I think," he said slowly, tapping his chin. "…Wait! No of course I remember! I was the king of Mirrors! The greatest at—hey where are you going?" he whined as the duo made their way for the entrance to the house. Zoro finally caught up then and Usopp frowned at him. "They don't believe me," he said.

"Whatever you said, mark me up as not believing you too," he grunted, and followed the others up the shallow stairs to the swinging red door, disappearing as he pushed it open and it closed behind him.

"You're all ridiculous! Just you wait, I'll…! …Wait! Wait for me!" he cried, and tromped his way up the stairs, throwing himself through the door.

—

"Would you like some cotton candy, Nami-San?" Sanji purred, the two of them finally easing their way into the park. "Or some funnel cake? I think I see an ice cream stand down there…" The blonde man squinted, before a wider grin crossed his face. "Yep. Ice cream stand. Do you want anything?"

"Ice cream sounds pretty good," Nami said, smirking. "Wonder where the others ran off to," she laughed. "I swear, though, if they get into any trouble, so help me I'll—" she hesitated, eyes flashing.

"Yes, right, firm talking to, I promise," Sanji laughed, and he kept on smiling as he led her to that ice cream stand.

—

"What the hell is wrong with this place?" Zoro roared, rubbing his forehead for the fifth time. Ten minutes into this stupid place and he was sure he was already getting bruises. Tch. And it was more than a little frustrating, because you'd think being able to avoid walking face-first into a mirror would be easy. But there were so man, and the reflections were tossed around, it made things difficult. You didn't know which way was which and every single mirror was perfectly spotless—so it's not as if he could search for a handprint smeared on the glass to clue him into what was a wall and what wasn't.

"This is amazing!" he hears his captain shriek, happy, from somewhere a bit farther ahead, down a different winding hall perhaps.

"Yeah, well you bounce!" Zoro barked back. "Running into these stupid things doesn't bother you!"

"Shut up Zoro and just have fun," Skie called, and he looked around. It looked as if she was just in front of him, but he knew better. Hell he'd just walked right into that mirror—stupid reflections. She could be around the corner for all he knew. And she probably was.

"This is awesome," Usopp shouted, and Luffy agreed loudly. Zoro closed his eyes and sighed at a heavy thud that was probably the boy running into another mirror. "Don't break anything, Luffy!" Usopp yelled, voicing Zoro's own thoughts; "Nami'll kill you!"

"I won't!" the captain assured.

Zoro held his arms out in front of him, looking very much like a robot, and ambled to his left, brow twitching when Skie laughed at him. "Shut up."

"You look hilarious. You just gotta go slow, you know?"

"Shut uuup."

"Don't be such a baby," she snorted.

"I'm not a damn baby." He grunted when his hands met a mirrored wall and he turned again, trying for another direction. Guh, this was a nightmare. Why did he follow them again? Urgh.

"You totally are."

"Dammit, Skie, shut up."

"Baaaaby."

"Don't make me come over there!" he threatened, ignoring the fact that it was really more or less an empty one.

"Really?" she smirked, reading his mind. "Okay, c'mon." He watched her reflection—all seven of them, grin and hold her hand out, fingers twitching up in a sort of 'bring it on' gesture. He saw Usopp cross the hall behind her, holding his arms out in front of him as well, and Zoro couldn't help but grin.

"You asked for it, brat," he growled, and went on robot-walking his way around. He grimaced when she laughed at him and moved on, reflections vanishing one by as she made her way farther away, but he wasn't crashing his face into anymore walls, so that was a pretty damn good plus.

"Wow, captain," he heard her say, voice a little farther away than it was the last time she spoke up. "Zoro's really lagging behind isn't he?"

Zoro's brow twitched again.

"Zoro's slow, what can I say?" Luffy laughed.

"I'm not slow!"

"You're right, you just get lost too easy. Can't even find your way out of a house," Usopp teased.

"This place is confusing!"

"We aren't waiting for you, Zoro, when we reach the end! Are we guys?" Skie barked, now completely out of his sight.

"NOPE," Usopp and Luffy roared. Zoro was by himself now, his only reflection glaring back at him was his own. So he stepped it up a notch. He walked quicker, switching directions the instant his fingertips touched cool glass (good thing the lady at the front of the building had given them all disposable plastic gloves, or else the spotless glass would be absolutely covered in hand prints by now). It didn't take long for Usopp's reflection to come into sight, and he yelped, laughing when he noticed Zoro catching up.

"He's getting close!" the long-nosed young man laughed.

"What?" Skie barked. "FULL THROTTLE BOYS, MOSS-HEAD IS GAINING."

Usopp moved out of his sight again, therefore Zoro sped up even more.

Twisting and turning, he made his way through the twisting hall much easier and quicker now. Once or twice Usopp or Skie would pop into his view from the reflections on the glass, but they would vanish a few seconds later, his appearance quickening their pace even more, making them laugh. And then he stopped, a wide, triumphant grin spreading across his face. He saw the exit. It was just up ahead, in front of him. He watched Usopp trip his way out into the bright sunshine just on the other side of that open doorway.

Usopp joined Skie and Luffy, already outside, and Zoro laughed when Skie stared at him, letting her jaw drop.

"Augh! There he is!" she yelled, pointing right at him. "He caught up fast!"

"Oh no!"

"Augh!"

Zoro dropped his arms, confident that he'd won this game; he could catch them easier now. Teach them a lesson for calling him a baby and moss-head, or rather, teach the little brat a lesson anyway. Pft.

He ran, full-tilt, about to all but leap at them—

_**WHAM**_.

His forehead met something hard and unyielding, and the rest of his body followed suit, all but barreling into the mirrored wall, sending him flopping and toppling backwards, right onto his back where he stared up at the mirrored ceiling, blinking at himself.

"…Ow."

"Oh ho ho!" cried one of the laughing trio outside.

"Ooh man, ow!"

"That had to hurt," Skie laughed, wincing. "Yeesh. Probably leave a bigger bruise on top of all the other ones.

"Nng." Zoro sat up slowly rubbing his forehead. "When I…catch you…" he shook his head and blinked, getting to his feet. The trio didn't move, but they all watched him the way someone would watch a dangerous animal; cautiously.

He lurched forward, hands out stretched again, lesson learned himself, and felt his way further and further until finally—his hand touched wood instead of glass. His fingers gripped the painted doorframe hard, and his grin was wicked.

"Is that really him?" Luffy asked.

"I think so," Ussop said, squinting.

"Shit, RUN," Skie yelped, the same instant Zoro bolted for them.

They didn't even have time to turn around though, the man putting those muscles to work by amping up his speed to the point of ludicrousness. His arms caught all of them and the four of them fell to a heap in the dirt, wrestling and laughing, though in the end Luffy won of course, stretchy arms catching all of them and holding them still.

"I win," the captain roared, laughing, and Zoro barked out some sort of insult, grinning, back pressed to Skie's side while she and Usopp sat back-to-back, laughing and out of breath.

It took them a few minutes to calm down, but when they did, Luffy craned his neck back and gasped. "Guys! I want to go on that one next!"

Skie looked over Usopp's shoulder and grunted; she loved that ride. A pendulum shaped like a ship. The sort that would go back and forth, up and down, over and over until your stomach was in your throat; she loved it. "Let's do it!"

"That doesn't look too scary," Usopp said.

"Luffy you can let go now," growled Zoro.

The captain did, releasing the three and scrambling to his feet, the others following his lead and running for the next ride.

* * *

Well that was fun xD I love mirror-houses.

But you guys! The review count for the last chapter was pathetic! I know it didn't have any of your favorite people in it, but c'mon! Gimme at least somethin'!

And oh ho. According to how the poll on my profile is going, I see what you guys want xD Nothin' wrong with a little competition, huh? No siree xD But for those of you who haven't voted yet, toss your count in!

**ROOTBEER **AND **ROCK **MY LOVELIES

Oh and also: _HAPPY SIXTIETH CHAPTER! WHOO!_


	61. Ships and Wheels :SIX DAYS:

The group rushed their way down the path, actually managing to ignore other interesting looking things they passed as the pendulum ship grew closer. As with the rest of the rides, there was no line; abandoned as the park seemed, of course there wasn't. And one by one they pushed through the metal spinning bars and clambered onto the boat. All of them squeezed into one row, Skie pressed between Zoro and Usopp and Luffy grabbed hold of the seat in front of them.

"Start! Start start start!" he chanted.

As if by magic, the ride creaked and began to shift.

"I'm…not so sure about this one anymore," Usopp mumbled, voice quivering as he blinked and looked around towards Skie and Zoro, as if determining how easy it would be for him to scramble over the two and get off the ride.

"Don't be a baby," Luffy scolded.

The ship rocked back and forth slowly at first, but the momentum was growing, and they found themselves going higher and higher.

"I really don't think I want to be here!" cried Usopp, and glared at Skie when she laughed.

"Too late now!" she cackled, as the ship swung up, all of them staring straight up at the sky for a moment before it swung back down, the four of them screaming in unison, though Usopp's was more of a girly shriek than anything.

Back and forth, in bigger, and longer swings, the ship rocked. And each time it dropped them back down to a back-to-earth swing the four would yell and howl and laugh at the tummy-tickle-causing ride.

"I can see a white light!" Usopp shouted.

"That's the sun!" Luffy laughed.

"…NO I DEFINITELY SEE A WHITE LIGHT."

"That's also the sun," Skie shouted over her captain's roar as the straw-hat boy threw his hands in the air, the ship plummeting back down in a fast swing.

"I'M GOING TO DIE!" Usopp shrieked, clearly not listening.

"YES YOU ARE," Zoro barked, grinning as Usopp screamed again.

It only lasted a few minutes before the swings started growing smaller…and smaller. The laughing and yelling softening into occasional whoops and giggles as the pendulum ship finally swung to a slow stop, a hiss of air as the machinery halted marking the ride as finished.

With stumbling steps the four jumped off the ride, pressing through the spinning bars again back out into the path.

"Damn," Zoro shook his head. "That was more fun than it looked."

"It's because I was there," Skie remarked, but shook her head and laughed a second later. "What do you guys want to do next?"

"…You pick," Luffy told her. He grinned his trademark rubber grin. "Your turn."

"We get turns?"

"Course we get turns! And now it's yours! So you pick!"

"…Hm." The girl tapped her chin for a moment, looking around. Colorful, incredible, awesome looking things were in every direction, and she made a little unhappy noise in her throat each time she saw one of them because she knew she would not be able to choose them all. "I can't…deci—WAIT," she shouted, making Usopp jump. "…I know. COME WITH ME." She reached out and grabbed the nearest person to her—whom happened to be Usopp—and kicked off from the ground.

The jump was high, and induced an almost record-breaking scream of surprise and terror as Usopp realized his feet were no longer on the ground, the both of them leaving behind a shouting Zoro and a laughing Luffy as the two others took off running after them.

Skie landed on the ground with a bounce and placed Usopp on the dirt path beside her, grinning.

"SKIE," the dark haired young man roared. "SKIE YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT WARNING—"

She elbowed him, cutting him off as she pointed up at the thing she'd spotted and chosen as her ride for her turn; it was the giant Ferris Wheel. To say it was huge would be a sad little understatement, and Usopp gaped up at it as the two of them tilted their heads back in unison to look up at the top of the gigantic structure as it turned slowly, already running.

"…That's really high," Usopp said slowly.

"Gotcha!" Luffy shouted, leaping towards the girl in an attempt to tackle her. But she glanced at him and yelped, ducking out of the way just in time for Usopp to be the one knocked to the ground. "…Haha. Or not," Usopp grinned.

"Get off!" Usopp roared.

Zoro jogged up a moment later, stopping beside her. "You want to go on the wheel thingy?" he asked, looking up at the thing. After a moment he let out a low whistle. "That's way damn high."

"That's what Usopp said." Skie grinned at him, "Wanna sit with—"

"Hey guys!" a voice called out. The four of them looked up to see Nami and Sanji sitting comfortably in one of the roomy little carriages. The seats were not open like a regular outdoor carnival, but were enclosed. A safety precaution no doubt. But from the square that acted as a window above the latched door to the little carriage, Nami waved at them as they came closer to the ground. "How are you all doing?"

"Fine!" Luffy called back. "What are you doing?"

"I," Sanji called, peeking over Nami's shoulder. "Have been trying to get lucky."

The Ferris Wheel stopped then, but the four of them just stared as Nami smacked the blonde over the head instead of rushing to get their own available seats.

"…That's gross, Sanji," Skie scolded.

The cook blushed and shook his head. "Not..not like that! You all know the Ferris Wheel rule, right?"

"…Whatchu talkin' about, Sanji?" Skie demanded, hands on her hips as her eyes narrowed.

"The…wow, you really don't know? Well, then listen up!" he laughed. "When you're riding with someone on a Ferris Wheel…and it's just two of you…if the wheel comes to a stop and you are at the very top of the wheel when it does…you have to kiss that person," he cooed.

"…" Zoro's brows furrowed as if he were thinking over something very important.

"It's a rule. You have to. So I've been crossing my fingers hoping our seat stops at the top, but…haven't been so lucky yet," he sighed. Nami shook her head.

"Jump on quick if you want a ride. It starts up just a couple minutes after stopping," the redhead warned.

"…Skie. C'mon," Zoro mumbled, and actually wrapped his fingers around her wrist, tugging her along with him as he all but dragged her towards the Wheel at a jog. "We don't want to miss it."

"…Really, Zoro," the girl laughed, unable to keep herself from flushing. "Really."

"Yes, really," he mumbled, glancing back at her. Though his eyes flashed and he grinned as he stopped beside one of the carriages on the ground level, ignoring Luffy and Usopp as they wrestled to get into their own carriage first, placing a hand on the little gate to get inside. "What, are you worried we might stop at the top?"

"Pffft," Skie rolled her eyes. "No."

"Then you're chicken?" He grinned when the girl's eyes narrowed. "...Well? Are you?"

"Oh, you wanna play like that? I'll show you chicken," she growled, and tugged the gate open, stepping inside the carriage and plopping herself down on the seat.

"Uh huh. Thought so," he laughed, and stepped in with her, sitting down beside her and stretching his legs out in front of him, crossing his arms behind his head as he looked out at the open bit in front of the two of them that gave them a view of the park, feeling more than a little comfortable where he was.

A few carriages away, Nami laughed into her hand to keep herself quiet. "You…did you make that up?"

"Actually, no," Sanji admitted softly, grinning with her. "I'd heard about that game somewhere…I knew he'd do that," he laughed.

Nami paused though, looking at him. "…I thought you hated the idea of those two …together at all."

"…I do," he admitted after a second, and shrugged. "But…y'know…they always look so damn happy, bothering each other." He let out a sigh and leaned back, wrapping an arm around Nami's shoulders. "I guess I can give the idiot a break every once in a while."

Nami laughed again. "You softy, you."

"…Yeah." His grin widened. "Maybe I am. Just a little."

* * *

Hey everyone. Your weirdo horrible-with-updates author is here.

Just a few updates though, really quick: The Air Force thing didn't work out. I ended up getting a medical discharge (curses) and...well, to be honest, I've just been trying to find a damn job ever since xD you can imagine. I don't want to mooch off my parents for forever, but recently, I did get a babysitting job that pays a pretty nice amount every week. It isn't a real job, but...who cares! Money! MONEY!

I am still head over heels in love with POTGM. Interest comes and goes sometimes, and I'm sure you all know what that feels like, but...well, now that I've got my job, and my short time in basic training did teach me a thing or two about getting stuff done...I have made a promise to myself, as long as a promise to the rest of you, to get this story done before summer. That's right. BEFORE SUMMER. Let's just say June 1st is my Deadline to get the last chapter up.

The story is going to end relatively soon. I'm sure you can tell, there's a damn countdown in every chapter title. But...well, I have to admit, that sort of makes me sad. I loved writing this. Even though I've been absolutely shit at updating. I promise that'll stop now. On my now-has-a-job honor, this story WILL be finished by June 1st.

If anything...I'm sorry to all the readers who lost interest in the story because of me and my...lameness. I feel awful, really. I love all of my readers xD Losing one is like...heartbreaking D: And it's my fault, which makes it even worse. Though...if someday you stumble back upon this old story you used to love back when you were a goofy kid, you might be happy to find it finished xD

...And...I have...been tossing around...the idea...of...a sequel.

BUT I am not quite sure. It depends. Don't get your hopes up. I don't want to start up another story and lose interest in that as well. We'll see. What do you all think about that though? Should POTGM end, or continue on? You tell me, guys. You're a big part of that determining factor as well.

Anyway...lots and lots of love as always :3

**ROOTBEER **and **ROCK**.


	62. Ferris Wheel Rule Breaker :SIX DAYS:

I recently just got my laptop back after having been grounded from it for two weeks because I didn't do the dishes -lol oops-

So I wrote this up within the last couple days and decided that, to make up for it, I MADE THIS THING SO FLUFFY. I mean...it was scripted to happen anyway, but pft. I added extra fluffy fluff in there. Because I'm nice. Hahahurhur hee.

Enjoy. IF YOU DARE.

Also: **NEW POLL ON MY PROFILE ABOUT THE STORY** :3

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The Ferris Wheel was a calm, slow, relaxing alternative to the rocking, Usopp-terrifying pendulum ship. It moved slowly, rotating full circles, giving the crew a fantastic view of the park and the beautiful forest surrounding it. It was a very tall wheel after all; they were surprised they couldn't see the town, or even their ship from where they were when their respective carriage reached the top of the wheel.

It took five rotations before the Ferris Wheel stopped. Skie and Zoro were just finishing up their third.

"The air smells like warm rootbeer," Skie commented a little absently, looking out over the multicolored rides all around them.

Zoro grunted, simply staring ahead at the park and beyond.

"And the towels back at the inn were oh so fluffy," she hummed, and Zoro looked at her.

"What are you going on about?"

"It's from a song," Skie shrugged, and leaned back in her seat, crossing her hands over her lap and smiling. "Just popped into my head."

"…Hey, Moss-Head?" the girl asked, glancing at him, and she laughed when he frowned, one of his brows twitching. "You're such a damn baby. Years later and you still whine about that name."

"Nami has orange hair and you don't see me callin' her Tangerine-Head," he grumbled, shifting a bit before shaking his head. "Anyway, what? What's up?"

"Just wanted to say thanks is all," the girl shrugged. "For pretty much everything. I think back on it and I'm actually pretty surprised you didn't toss me over the side of the ship sometimes," she laughed. "Man I'm so damn good at irritating you."

"Oh ho," Zoro snorted. "Understatement. Of. The. Century."

"Pft. You're such a baby."

"I'm not a damn baby. A baby couldn't be the greatest swordsman in the world."

"Ha! I hate to break it to you Zoro, and I didn't want to tell you this, but there was this little two year old back at the last town we were in who was just as good as you."

Zoro's eyes narrowed.

"Yep. His name was Baby Bob and he could've beat Mihawk if he felt like it," she laughed, looking back out at the Ferris Wheel. "Oh that Baby Bob. What a champ."

"Shut up," Zoro huffed, but smirked himself, watching her. "I'm surprised I didn't chuck your annoying ass off the boat too. Just listen to you. You're still annoying the hell out of me."

"And yet you dragged me onto a Ferris Wheel after Sanji told you about that rule."

"…" Zoro grunted again, eyes flicking away from her to the front of the carriage again. "That's completely different."

"I swear, I think you're masochistic."

"Probably."

"Jeez, Moss-Head, I knew it."

"Quit calling me that."

"Moody too, ain'tcha?"

"It's your fault."

"…It's because your hair is green."

"Oh will you stop that!"

Skie laughed and looked at him.

Zoro tilted his head a bit and met her gaze.

"…I don't mind your green hair, you know," the girl mumbled.

"I don't mind your sugar addiction."

"I don't mind how grouchy you are."

"I don't mind how annoying you are."

"I don't mind that you're gay."

"I don't—what?" Zoro blinked before his eyes narrowed and he puffed up, ready for another argument.

Skie leaned forward and kissed him.

Usopp and Luffy's jaws dropped as they watched that kiss unfold. The Ferris Wheel hadn't even stopped yet, and the two craned their necks and eyes as Skie and Zoro's carriage rotated upwards until it fell out of their sight.

-...-

"I can see what's happening," Usopp growled.

"What?" Luffy asked.

"And they don't have a clue!"

"Who?"

"They'll fall in love, and here's the bottom line…" Usopp let out a sigh. "Our trio's down to two."

Luffy blinked. "Oh."

"The sweet caress of midday. There's MAGIC everywhere!" Usopp threw an arm around Luffy's shoulder. "AND with all this romantic…atmosphere…" he held out a fist in front of him. "DISASTER'S in the air!"

"Why are you singing?" Luffy asked, and Usopp glanced at him.

"I'm not."

"Well you were. But…but did you see that!" the Captain growled as the Ferris Wheel finally slowed to a stop. Zoro and Skie were somewhere above them now; there was no way they could see them from this angle.

-...-

"…The…Wheel hasn't stopped yet," he heard himself mumble against her lips before she drew back a bit. He blinked a couple times, surprise muddling up a few other thoughts and feelings in his head. "It…"

"Yeah it has," she said back.

Zoro took only a second to glance around. The wheel had stopped alright, but they weren't at the top. From what he could see there were at least two cars that were higher than theirs. "…We aren't at the top, either."

"Yeah we are."

He looked back at her, quiet. Neither of them said anything for a few long, almost awkward moments before Skie looked away, shifting in her seat. Her fingers wrung together in her lap for a moment.

"What? Stop…looking at me like that," she muttered, looking down at her hands. "You're the…you're the one who dragged me up here hoping to stop at the top. What?"

"…Nothing," Zoro said quietly. "Nothing, I just…didn't expect that."

"…Tch. Baby," Skie smiled a bit, but didn't look back up at him.

"I'm the greatest swordsman in the world," he said, talking fast, rather suddenly. Skie glanced up at him, arching a brow. "I'm not a damn…" He grunted, reaching out. His hand traced over the girl's lower jaw before his fingertips dipped into the hair at the back of her neck, leaning forward and taking a second kiss.

She blinked at first, reaching up in surprise, her own fingers touching his wrist beside her shoulder. But after a moment she relaxed and fell victim to the butterflies in her stomach and how her toes curled in her shoes as her eyes fluttered closed, the two of them melting into each other.

It was sunny and warm, the air clean and perfect, and the two of them forgot about a lot of things during the following moments as the minutes stretched on. Even as the Ferris Wheel began to spin again, the two didn't separate; didn't even notice. Even when they fell into the sights of Usopp and Luffy (who hooted and yelled and made gagging noises), and in turn Nami and Sanji (who cheered and, in Sanji's case, pretended not to notice to keep his temper in check), they didn't care.

The wheel stopped twice after that. A total of ten full rotations before their car halted at the bottom for them to exit.

Skie was the one to draw back first, flushed strawberry smoothie pink.

"…I think the others are waiting for us," the girl said, glancing over Zoro's shoulders to see Usopp and Luffy wrestling back on the dirt path, Sanji and Nami standing a few feet away from them, Nami staring in their direction while Sanji seemed to be counting blades of grass on a patch of green on the side of the road.

"Want me to go tell them how much I care?" Zoro grumbled back, still as close as ever. "It wouldn't even take a second."

Skie laughed. "I bet it wouldn't," she grinned. But she hesitated for a moment, leaning back a little more, putting a few more inches of space between them. "…C'mon. Lots more of the park we haven't seen yet."

Zoro let her out of the car first before standing and following after her, the wheel picking up and starting its new round of turning the instant he touched the ground. Sanji shot him a strange look that he ignored, along with Nami's keening squeal as she all but tackled Skie.

"I didn't think it'd happen! You stopped at the top?" the woman smirked, letting the flustered girl go and putting her hands on her hips. "I should have brought my damn camera."

"Pf," Skie rolled her eyes. "Yeah sure. But…"

Sanji glanced up at her while Luffy and Usopp continued their fight behind him. "What?" Sanji asked, completely unable to help himself. "Not that great of a kisser was he?" the man grinned, eyes narrowing at Zoro. Anything to piss him off. In many ways, he could be considered better at that job than Skie.

Zoro bristled, narrowing his own eyes, the two men stepping close enough together to slam their foreheads against each other if they wanted to. "Shut your mouth, you damn sissy cook. You—"

"We didn't stop at the top," Skie threw in, and Sanji actually turned his head away from Zoro to look at her. Nami let out another little squeal.

"So," the girl went on, reaching out and snagging Zoro's arm before tugging him away from Sanji, ignoring the 'Do not bother us, we are men and we are about to brawl' vibes coming off of him. "You can just drop the bad kisser stuff," she said with a little huff. "And we'll be going now. Usopp, Luffy! ROLLER COASTER TIME!" the girl roared, which grabbed her captain's attention well enough.

"Roller coaster? YES!"

"I don't like roller coasters!" Usopp said, clapping his hands over his face. "I'm allergic!"

"C'mon, Usopp," Zoro grumbled, grabbing hold of the sharpshooter's collar as he stepped around him, following after Luffy, whom had just bolted down the path. He grinned back at Skie. "I don't think he'll wait long."

"Pf, probably not," Skie laughed and stepped after them.

"Wait, you hold up young lady!" Nami called and Skie looked over her shoulder at her, but didn't stop. "Well…if he wasn't horrible was he any good at all?"

"Really. I don't want to hear this," Sanji growled, clapping his hands over his ears. "I was nice enough to tell them about the rule they didn't even follow but I don't—"

"There was a bit too much tongue from him," Skie called back in a matter-of-fact tone, grinning wide when Sanji all but shrieked and pressed his hands to his ears harder, spinning around like he was a man in mortal agony.

Zoro, however, sputtered at her, nearly dropping Usopp in the dirt. "Sk..what! I didn't even—"

"Oh shut up and watch Sanji writhe," the girl laughed. "That was for saying you were bad. It isn't his job to say that," she hummed. Skie paused for a moment, looking nonchalantly over her nails for a few seconds before glancing back up at him. "It's mine."

"What!" the green haired man roared, and again, he almost dropped Usopp.

"But you weren't bad," she went on, and Zoro seemed to relax a bit.

"…You were terrible."

"_WHAT_!" And that time he did drop Usopp.

But Skie jumped, leaping clear over another ride as she fled, laughing as Zoro left Usopp in the dust and chased after her while Sanji still writhed and Nami laughed by the Ferris Wheel.

* * *

Oh that Skie. What a damn brat.

Poor Sanji. What was seen cannot be unseen HAHAHA.

Anyway, **Rootbeer **and **Rock**.


	63. First sighting :SIX DAYS:

Hey guys! :3 I went through a big ass change in my life recently...I moved to California! Yeah it was pretty sudden. From snow, freezing cold Upper Michigan, to this. But it's weird...these past few couple days I've been chilly enough to wear sweatshirts. ...I thin I'm an alien guys. o.o An adopted alien.

Anyway, the reason was, I'm now a 'nanny' for my step-mom's cousin. It's cool. I get to take care of a three and a half month old girl named Bella (whom is adorable and much cooler than that one chick from that one stupid vampire series), and a six year old named Olivia (who is also cool and loves Mario so whoo!). So I finally got a job, guys! AND IT'S IN CALI. HOLY CRAP. Forty five minute drive from Disneyland. I think I'm in heaven.

Anyway. I'm all settled and stuff now...so I wrote you guys up a chapter! :3 Sort of short, and I'm sorry for that, but lol. Gettin' to the good stuff now. Hurrhurr.

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The roller coaster ride began and ended in what can only be described as complete and utter chaos. The magnificent thing had three settings. "Wimpy", "Awesome", and "Holy Mary Mother of God STOP THIS THING". They group rode the coaster from easiest to hardest, one setting after the other without stopping for a break between sets.

Wimpy lasted two minutes and had Usopp clinging to Luffy while Skie and Zoro counted the trees they slowly chugged by.

Awesome lasted five minutes and had Usopp screaming, Luffy laughing, Sanji and Nami throwing their arms in the air, and Skie and Zoro competing on who could scream the loudest as the ride zoomed on.

The last setting…well. It lasted a grand total of fifteen minutes, and at times topped seventy miles an hour. Complete with upside down loops, dips into pitch black tunnels, swirls, and at one point it dove into an underwater tunnel full of sharks and other beasties.

Usopp was traumatized into silence, Luffy was still laughing, Sanji and Nami were clinging to each other and screaming, and Zoro and Skie were competing that time, very vehemently, on who could last the longest without screaming, yelling, or making any noise at all. At one point or another the both of them had clapped their hands over their mouths to keep themselves quiet. Really, though, it was just hardest not to laugh.

The coaster came to a stop, and the group took their time walking, crawling, and sliding up out of the seats, flopping onto the platform on the side of the ride, catching their breath from either screaming too much, or using up all their energy to not scream at all.

"That…" Luffy began, sitting beside Usopp as the long-nosed young man leaned against him, the two back to back. "That was AWESOME!" he roared, throwing his arms in the air again. "LET'S DO IT AGAIN!"

"Absolutely not!" Nami snapped, hair an absolute mess, Sanji fixing his own mussy blonde hair beside her by dragging a hand through it a few times, lighting himself up a cigarette. "Look at my hair!"

"Yeah you look pretty funny," the captain commented, grinning as he stood and brushes himself off.

Nami growled but began to fix her own hair, huffing and turning away from him.

"That…" Skie breathed. Her hair was stuck back like a traffic cone on its side. "That was the best roller coaster ever."

"…You lost," Zoro said, and laughed when Skie shoved him. "Okay! Okay, but it was! And you did!" She shoved at him again and he held his hands up as if to ward her off. "Fine. Fine, it was a tie. Tie! Truce!" he added when she kept shoving at him with every word.

"…Fine. Truce it is," she said with a shrug, and looked around.

The rest of the park called.

Really though, the rest of the day was not wasted. There was an eating contest concerning cotton candy between everyone but the navigator and cook, a spin-the-teacups ride which made most of them sick (at least the ones who had participated in the eating contest), a dart game where the targets were balloons filled with glitter in which Zoro won Skie a giant stuffed elephant (and then got angry because she gave it to Usopp), and a merry-go-round that had seahorses instead of regular horses to ride on.

The day was winding to a close with all of them laughing, Luffy having just told some joke about a talking apple and a piece of chicken that made absolutely no sense, but was somehow hilarious anyway.

It was beginning to get a bit dark. Dusk was coming up fast, the beautiful bright purple trees surrounding the amusement park darkening into a deep, royal color as the sun began to set. The group made their way towards the entrance/exit of the place, following the dimly illuminated dirt path, nearly squinting until the street lamps posted along the road came to life, lighting their way.

"I think this was a damn good day," Skie said, laughing as they let the park behind them, making their way back up the grassy hill to the entrance of the forest trail they had come through.

"I think you're right—" Nami had started, but was cut short when Usopp glanced over his shoulder and let out a gasp.

The rest of them turned around, and couldn't help but stare at the park, lit up left and right like fireworks grounded for display. Nothing was moving; the park was at a dead standstill. A work of art set out for display. The crew just stood, looking it over for a few quiet moments, enjoying the view until one of them let out the first yawn.

"You and me both," Usopp mumbled, and they turned from the sight slowly, making their way down the forest trail, lit up by lights hidden in the trees. "You're right, though, Skie," he went on. "It was a good day."

"You think?"

"I know," Luffy threw in, and they all grinned.

"The only thing I can't believe," Sanji started. "Was that Skie beat you in that eating contest, Luffy."

"I let her win!" the captain barked, and everyone rolled their eyes. "I did!"

"No one's as good at eating cotton candy as I am," the girl said. "Not even you, Luffy."

"Pft!" he spat.

"Pffft!" she spat back.

"PFFF—"

"Okay," Zoro growled. "Okay, okay, before we start up this sort of argument…" he rolled his eyes again. "Let's just switch topics. Yeah?"

"To what?" Skie and Luffy snapped.

"I don't know. Sheesh."

"Back at the hotel…you think they'll have dinner ready when we get there?" Nami wondered. She ignored the hurt look on Sanji's face, smiling at the others. "Think Brier will be there waiting too?" Sanji's look of despair was replaced by that absurdly common fawning grin.

"I hope so," he purred.

"Think she's had enough coffee while we've been out?" Usopp joked, remembering her stutter and eye twitches. He yelped when Skie shoved at him.

"Coffee is serious business. Don't go joking about the coffee," she scolded, but smirked a second later. "…But yeah. Probably."

A light caught their attention, then. Down the trail, one of the small, Christmas-like lights in the trees moved. It jumped to the tree next to it. And when they squinted it at it, they noticed the coloring was off. Instead of a calm, yellow color, its shade was more purple than anything.

"Do you see that?" Nami said.

"That's a big firefly," Sanji mumbled.

"It's purple," someone said.

"Big purple firefly, then."

"Fireflies aren't purple—"

"Look, it moved again!" Nami pointed as it jumped to the next tree, as if leading them on. The group broke into a jog after it but halted when the light suddenly just blinked out before they got close enough to see what it was, leaving them surrounded by the ordinary yellow lights.

"…What was that thing?" Luffy said, lifting his straw hat and scratching at a spot on his head.

"Dunno," Skie mumbled, but she had an idea. Everyone but Luffy had an idea of what…that light…might have been. "I dunno."

Suddenly, the purple light blinked on again, in a tree just beside them, and all of their heads turned to look at it. Close as they were, they couldn't make out what it was other than a ball of light with…

"Wings?" Usopp muttered.

The ball of light hopped one branch closer, the whole group jumping.

It seemed to flutter those translucent, glittering little wings at them before vanishing again.

And that was it.

…

"That was the fairy," Zoro growled, the first to break the stunned silence. "That was the damn fairy."

"The one that…" Luffy blinked. "The one that if you catch it you get a wish? Any wish?"

Skie held her breath.

"Uh huh," Sanji said. They were all still staring at the spot the little light had vanished from. "That's…what they told us."

"I know what we're doing tomorrow," Zoro grunted.

"Fairy hunt?" Luffy and Usopp said at the same time, blinking. Skie looked at her captain while he considered this. "…Yes. Tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll catch the fairy."

"Never thought I'd ever hear anybody say that and be serious about it," muttered Nami, but she clapped her hands together and nodded. "Alright. Tomorrow, the hunt begins, then."

"We'll talk to Brier! About stuff. She's the one who brought it up earlier, right? She probably knows a lot about the thing," Usopp broke in.

"I'm gonna be the one to catch it first," Luffy grinned. This made Usopp puff out his chest.

"Not if I catch it first," the sharpshooter challenged.

"Guys," Skie lifted a hand, expression calm. "…You're all nuts if you think you're gonna beat me."

Someone then, though it is not know for sure who, barked out a suggestion to race back to the inn back in Green Side. Loser had to be the one to get up early and wake everyone else up the next morning. Needless to say, the scramble was intense. And it was neck and neck for a while.

However.

Nami, tricksy lady that she was, used her staff to somehow trip everyone, sending them sprawling into the dust while she trotted ahead and won, while the rest claws and roared and sputtered after her.

Nami won and threw everyone a victory pose.

Usopp lost and threw a loser's tantrum.

And it goes without saying that the group fell asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows, unaware of the Marines just on shore that were waiting to creep on shore and hunt them down.

* * *

Think Arty's with those Marines? I think so. Hoo hoo what could go down during this showdown? Who knows. Probably something goofy weird and violent.

But who am I to know I'M JUST THE AUTHOR. -crazy winkface-

And hey, check out Chiisanakurinoki on DeviantArt x3 She recently posted up an adorable piece of Skie and Zoro.

Also, _**new poll up on my profile**_ :3

**ROOTBEER** AND **ROCK**


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